Barbara Ann FitzGerald, 84, of Kansas City, MO, died Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at home. Born on June 20, 1936 in Salisbury, MO to Clarence and Agnes Widmer, Barbara attended Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, KS, before settling in Kansas City. It was there that she met her devoted husband of 60 years, Ed. Barbara was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. Throughout her life she was a devout Catholic. She was a second mother to many, most notably boys attending Rockhurst High School. She had the best laugh in the world and those around her were lucky to hear it often. Her sweetness and kindness were balanced by a strong practical nature. She was not a complainer or tolerator of laziness. She could find any lost contact lens - including the one at the bottom of the pool and one on the surface of the snow. She could make delicious food seemingly out of nothing. She was always up for a long walk, a game of tennis or golf (she had two-holes-in-one). Probably her favorite thing was a game of bridge with her many friends. Her Super Bowl parties, where she provided food for a houseful of guests, were legendary. Our hearts are broken but our love for her lives on. Hers was a presence that will not fade in our lifetime.
In addition to her husband Ed, Barbara leaves behind children Cary, Patrick (Amy), Jim (Alice), Ted (Katy) and Molly (Andrew), sister Martha, brother Butch, and grandchildren Theo, Mike, Colleen, Betsy, Megan, Kevin, Cara, Bridget, Phoebe and Effie, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews. Services will be at Visitation Catholic Church, 5141 Main St, Kansas City, MO 64112 on April 27. Rosary will be at 9:30 am with Mass following at 10 am. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in her name be made to the Mercedarian Missionaries of Berriz in care of Our Lady of Mercy Country Home in Liberty, MO www.ourladyofmercy.net.
