Shirleyan Fitzgerald

Shirleyan Rhodes-Fitzgerald, 90, passed away on Tuesday, April 21, 2015. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 300 Central Ave, Mountainside, NJ 07092, at 11:30AM on Monday, April 27th. Eternal rest will be at St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery, Stirling, New Jersey.

Shirley was born in Chicago and raised in Elizabeth, NJ, along with her brother Donny by her parents Anne and Joseph Kaiserman. Shirley graduated from College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE) in Convent Station, NJ.

Shirley was married to Howard “Dusty” Rhodes, a WW2 pilot in the US Army Air Corp. They decided on Mountainside, NJ, to raise a family. Shirley accomplished so much during her lifetime, but she always maintained that her greatest achievement was raising her seven children. She loved preparing home cooked meals, planning extended family gatherings, helping her kids with homework and planning road trips in New England and beyond, all in the family station wagon. Fond vacation memories included the 1964 World’s Fair, Niagara Falls, NY, Washington, DC, Gettysburg, PA and Jamestown, VA, Expo ’67 in Quebec, Canada.

Shirley led a magical and full life, which included modeling in college, the Garden Club of Mountainside, a lifelong patron of the Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn, NJ. It also included a deep involvement in the Mountainside Music Association MMA with her many friends including Mr. Aiden Lewis, a Mountainside public school music teacher who penned the song “Hello Mr. Lewis, yes indeed!” On top of this, she worked full time as the bookkeeper at BeCu Manufacturing in Scotch Plains for some 20 years. In early retirement, she attended numerous World War II Glider Pilots conventions.

Dusty passed away in 1982. Several years later, she met her second husband William “Bill” Fitzgerald, another WW2 veteran and sailor in the US Navy. They moved from Mountainside to Bridgewater, NJ. Fitz passed away this past January but together they spent 30 years of life attending to family and traveling the world. They also enjoyed attending Tin Can Sailor conventions.

Shirley was an active parishioner in Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Mountainside and later, St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church, Bridgewater, N.J.

She leaves behind 9 children, 23 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren to cherish her memory.

Her children: Alan Rhodes; Patti Della Salla and husband Rod; Nance Palladino and husband Bill; Kenny Rhodes; Linda Burkhardt and husband Steve; Larry Rhodes; Jackie Vannozzi and husband Pat; Billy Fitzgerald, Jr. (deceased); Peggy Pendergast and husband John.

Her grandchildren: Dusty Rhodes; Casey Schwartz and husband Richie, Barbara Dantes and husband Victor, Katie Della Salla, Scott Della Salla; Will Palladino, Jenn Palladino; Connor Rhodes (deceased), Spencer Rhodes, Kelsey Rhodes, Hannah Rhodes; Kaitlin Burkhardt, Alex Burkhardt, Marshall Burkhardt, Claire Burkhardt; Larry Rhodes Jr., Michael Rhodes, Stephanie Rhodes; Adam Vannozzi, Christopher Vannozzi, John Vannozzi; Kate Pendergast, John Pendergast Jr. and wife Laura.

Her great grandchildren: Bella Schwartz, Jake Schwartz; Lucas Dantes; Shawn Pendergast.

Thos L. Shinn Funeral Home was entrusted with the arrangements.

For online condolences, please visit our website at www.shinnfuneralhome.com