Betty Jones Fitzgerald

May 23, 1928 - Feb. 27, 2017 Betty J. Fitzgerald died February 27, 2017 after a brief illness. She was 88 years old. She was a native of Crossett, Arkansas, where she enjoyed her country childhood with her brothers Bobby and Billy, her sister Ruthie, and her parents Noel and Bessie Jones. She moved to Mobile as a teenager. She graduated from Murphy High School in 1946. She was a proud Panther Alumni. She enjoyed church activities at the Prichard Methodist Church where she met her future husband Ed Fitzgerald. They were married in November of 1950. Their union produced one son, Bruce Fitzgerald. Betty enjoyed her nursing career. She began working in the surgical unit of Mobile County Hospital. When it became University of South Alabama Medical Center, she rose to the positions of Nurse Supervisor of Surgery and Assistant Director of Nursing. She finished her career in Quality Assurance. In 1967, Betty was named Mobile Area Nurse of the year for her professional and civic activities. That same year, Ed was named Mobile Firefighter of the year and Bruce was recognized by the Mobile Press Register for his work in the Vigor Key Club. 1967 was quite a year for the Fitzgeralds! Betty was active in Toastmasters International where she served as District Secretary, Vice President and President in Toastmasters District 29. She served as a volunteer and tour guide at the Medical Museum of Mobile. After her retirement, Betty became very active in the Mobile Area Agency on Aging and A.A.R.P. She served as Volunteer Ombundsman for the area agency and President of A.A.R.P. In 2009, she was named to Retired Senior Volunteer Hall of Fame for the State of Alabama. From her childhood on, Betty loved church activities. She had a deep and abiding faith which included private devotion to Jesus and public service to others! She was active in the Eight Mile United Methodist Church for many years. She held every leadership position in that church including Church Lay Leader. She taught mission studies on the Local and District level. She was an active member of the St. Mark United Methodist Church where she taught Sunday School. She was immensely proud that her son became a United Methodist pastor. Betty is survived by her son Bruce and daughter in law Nancy, two grandchildren Devon Ralston and Matt Fitzgerald and two great grandchildren Grace and Eli Fitzgerald, a sister and brother in law Ruth and Ed Brezniar. Funeral services will be held Thursday, 11:00 am at Radney Funeral Home-Mobile. Visitation with the family will be Thursday beginning at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of South Alabama c/o Office of Development and Alumni Relations, 300 Alumni Circle, Mobile, Alabama 36688.