Margaret Mary Fitzgerald

Beloved mother, nana, and friend passed peacefully in the presence of her children on Thursday, October 3, in Sarasota, Florida. Born June 28, 1945 and raised in the Bronx by her mother and aunt, Mimi helped attend to the care of her brother, Ed, and attended Villa Maria Academy where she established lifelong friendships with both students and the sisters of Congregation de Notre Dame. Changing her mind to join a convent, Mimi followed her calling and attended Misericordia School of Nursing. Upon graduation from nursing school, she worked at Fordham Hospital for a short time and then committed to a year of service with Lay Extension Volunteers, working as a nurse at St. Francis Hospital in Mountain View, Missouri.

On a Lay Extension recruiting trip to St. Vincent College, Pennsylvania, Mimi met her husband, Lawrence Doperak. Mimi and Larry married in New York in 1969 and settled in Pittsburgh, PA, where they joined the community of St. Thomas More Church and made many adored friends, including two couples that would become like family, the Jaegers and Muellers. As she raised three children, Mimi worked as a nurse and on the side, educated women about natural childbirth, teaching Lamaze classes in their living room.

In 1980, Mimi achieved one of her greatest dreams when she and Larry (their three children in tow) joined Maryknoll Lay Missioners and were assigned to serve in Kenya, East Africa. Mimi announced she was pregnant just weeks before the family was to leave, and several months later gave birth to her fourth child in Nairobi Hospital. During her time in Kenya, Mimi helped establish a clinic for women and children in Kibagare slum, which stands today as a testament of her passion for maternal and newborn health. After the family returned to the U.S., Mimi continued her nursing career as an administrator in an assisted living facility and ultimately discovered her true calling as a hospice nurse.

Mimi and Larry divorced and in 2000 she moved to Sarasota, FL. Mimi loved the ocean and beauty of Sarasota and quickly established a successful second act, continuing her work as a hospice nurse, studying spirituality, participating as an active parishioner of St.Thomas More parish and becoming a loyal and loving friend to so many. Diagnosed with dementia and symptoms of Alzheimer’s several years ago, Mimi lived the past two years in care at Arden Courts in Sarasota, where she enjoyed the beautiful sunshine and outdoors, near to close friends she cherished so much. Mimi is survived by many amazing friends near and far and her greatest achievement (as she would say), her four wonderful children and seven grandchildren: Martin Doperak (Karen), Michael and Kaitlyn; Meg (Frank Miglionico), Rose and Molly; Beth (Scott MacRae), Luke and Lily; James Doperak (Christie) and Corrine.

Friends and family are invited to celebrate her life at a memorial service Thursday, October 24, 9:30 am at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 2506 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota, FL.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mimi may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, alz.org/donate, or the ASPCA, aspca.org/donate.