Clement Tranum Fitzpatrick II

Clement Tranum (Tranum) Fitzpatrick, prominent Montgomery businessman and community leader, passed away on August 30, 2021 at his home in Montgomery, Alabama. He was born on August 26, 1938 to Martha Burke Rouse Fitzpatrick and C.T. Fitzpatrick, Sr.

He attended Sydney Lanier High School, where he was President of his class. He then attended the University of Alabama, majoring in Finance, where he was Eminent Archon of the Mother Mu Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. After serving in the U.S. Army as a Battery Commander he returned to Montgomery where he took a leadership role in the family businesses which he expanded and later sold.

A successful entrepreneur, he founded several real estate investment businesses including The Guilford Companies. He developed, acquired, and managed apartment buildings, office buildings, medical office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, and physical rehabilitation hospitals throughout the United States. He served on the Board of Directors of Compass Bancshares for many years. He felt that one of his greatest achievements was working with management and the Board to sell Compass to BBVA at a very attractive price while preserving thousands of jobs in Birmingham just before the great financial crisis of 2007 - 2008.

He was very active in the community and was a generous philanthropist. He was one of the youngest persons ever to be named YMCA Man of the Year. He served as President of the Lions Club International Youth Camp for many years. He served as Senior Warden of the Vestry of St. John’s Episcopal Church. He served on the Culverhouse Board of Visitors at the University of Alabama. He served on the Board of St. Jude’s Catholic Hospital in Montgomery and after the hospital closed re-developed it into affordable housing. He also served on the board of Bridge Builders Alabama.

Tranum Fitzpatrick was an avid reader, an erudite student of history, and lover of the arts. He served on the Alabama Shakespeare Festival Board of Directors, was a founding member of the Churchill Center, and a member of The Thirteen, a literary society founded in 1902. He acquired a large collection of Kelly Fitzpatrick paintings and donated a number of them to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. He loved classical music which to him included Hank Williams Sr., and Johnny Cash.

He was a mentor to many. He was hard working but always found time to help others. He was generous to a fault. He always judged people by their character, not their economic or social position. He was a loving husband and a great father. He was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word.

He is preceded in death by his father, Clement Tranum (“C.T.”) Fitzpatrick, Sr.; his mother, Martha Burke Rouse Fitzpatrick; his sister, Burke Fitzpatrick Chambers; and stepmother, Ann Copeland Fitzpatrick.

He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Martha Page Fitzpatrick; his sons, C. T. Fitzpatrick III (Kelley); Arthur Lawrence (“Icee”) Fitzpatrick; his brother, L. D. Fitzpatrick (Cindy); his brother-in-law, E.T. (“Bud”) Chambers; his grandchildren, Clement Tranum (“Tranum”) Fitzpatrick IV; Lewis Fitzpatrick; Anne Tyler Fitzpatrick; and McAllister (“Allie”) Fitzpatrick; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The Fitzpatrick family wishes to acknowledge the compassion of his caregivers and especially thank his niece, Marti Rice, and dear friend, Anne Elizabeth McGowin for their love and support.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic there will be a private graveside service. A celebration of Tranum’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to St. John’s Episcopal Church Montgomery.