Marilyn Estelle Reisman Fitzgerald

10/03/1936 - 05/05/2025

Mimi Fitzgerald died peacefully at home with family around her on Monday, May 5, 2025. She lived 88 years joyfully dedicated to family, faith, and community.

Born in Pittsburgh, Mimi grew up in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, and attended Mater Misericordiae Academy, to which she returned for many class reunions, including her 70th in 2023.

She matriculated at Catholic University in Washington, DC, where she became the first female editor in chief of The Tower, the university's student newspaper. At Catholic, she also met Bill Fitzgerald, a fellow student journalist at The Tower. They married in 1958 and moved to Arlington, Virginia, where they raised eight children and were active parishioners at St. Charles Borromeo.

Mimi made her home and dinner table welcome to any and all friends and guests; she gave loaves of home-baked cinnamon bread as gifts and was renowned for her ability to make a delicious, hearty soup from whatever she had in her freezer. She made sure her children knew how to cook so they could share the joy of preparing, serving, and eating a meal together.

She took an avid interest in growing her faith through neighborhood prayer groups, the Christian Family Movement, Northern Virginia Cursillo, and parish committees at St. Charles.

When Bill died suddenly in 1988, Mimi made dramatic life changes, returning to work as a professional, and she went back to school, finishing her bachelor's degree and earning a master's. She worked as an administrator in Arlington County government for 20 years in occupational health and senior programs offices.

Retirement gave Mimi more time to spend with friends and family, which eventually included 17 grandchildren. "Grami" attended numerous graduations, recitals, plays, sports events, art exhibitions, and the first wedding of the next generation.

She was also a creative and prolific gardener whose yard bloomed into a vibrant and colorful display every year to the delight and admiration of her family and neighbors. Before she sold her home in 2024, her children dug up some perennials to transplant into their own yards and continue this beautiful legacy.
Mimi loved nothing more than connecting with people wherever she found them and sharing the joy of community. Her children often noted that she had a much busier social life than any of us.

Mimi is survived by her children, Kathleyne Sigler (Michael), Susan Fitzgerald, Sheila Thomas (Day), John Fitzgerald (Andolyn), Bill Fitzgerald (Andrea), Megan Fitzgerald, Peter Fitzgerald (Francesca), and Jamie Sample (Tim), and her grandchildren, Ian, Celia, Brennan, M'Adelaide, Saunders (Kennedy), Muriel, Moniac, Amelie, Dessa, Justin, Patrick, Amelia, Violet, Micah, Naomi, Finn, and Jett.

Mimi's family will welcome family and friends at Murphy Funeral Home in Falls Church, 1102 W. Broad Street on Monday, May 19, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. for visitation. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady Queen of Peace Roman Catholic Church, 2700 19th St, S. in Arlington on Tuesday, May 20, 10 a.m.

Mimi loved gardening and flowers but her memory would also be honored by donations to So Others Might Eat, 71 O Street, Washington, DC 20001 (some.org).
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