Pierrette Imelda Fitzgerald

Pierrette Imelda Fitzgerald of Austin, Texas had a smile that lit up any room. She left us after a courageous battle with lymphoma on Monday, February 20, 2023 at the age 81 (although she never admitted to being a day over 70) and will be deeply missed by her family and many friends. We will honor her legacy by supporting each other the way she constantly and without reservation supported all of us.

Pierrette was born in Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, Canada on April 24, 1941, the second youngest of 13 children. She grew up immersed in French Canadian culture, and later carried her “joie de vivre” and love of opera music, colorful scarves, Coffee Crisp candy, pâté, and fondue to Southern California. The sunshine and beaches of Los Angeles were a welcome change from the bitter cold of the Canadian winter, and California became her home for the next five decades. Her Canadian family was never far from her heart, however, and she visited as often as she could (but only in the summer months, naturally).

Pierrette met a fellow Canadian, Stan Fitzgerald, in California. They married and raised three sons together in Agoura Hills. She was a fierce and dedicated wife and mother, instilling in her boys the importance of family and being there for one another, all the while tirelessly working as a Registered Nurse in various hospitals and outpatient surgery centers. Her nursing career spanned more than forty years, and she was known for her kindness and compassion with every patient.

After her sons moved to Austin, Texas, Pierrette retired and moved with Stan to Austin in 2012. She spent the next decade surrounded by new friends and her seven grandchildren. She never missed an opportunity to attend a school play, dance recital, soccer match, birthday party, first communion, or any other event involving one of her beloved granddaughters or grandsons. She was a lover of board games and a fierce opponent in any card game, particularly Pay Me. She loved being outdoors in her pool and garden, where the flowers she carefully tended were always blooming. Pierrette traveled often in recent years, making precious memories with her family in South Texas, Montana, Canada, and Ireland.

A devout Catholic, Pierrette was actively involved in the Church all her life and lived as a devoted servant of God. She survived breast cancer and fought back lymphoma for more than a year. In her final days and weeks, she was surrounded by family and friends who showered her with encouragement and love. She laughed and joked to the very end. While it may seem absurd to say that she was 81 years young, it was true. Pierrette was full of energy and life to the end and she will be forever young to all who knew her.

Pierrette is preceded in death by her father Jean-Baptiste Charron; mother Marie-Joseph Nadon; and siblings Jacqueline Charron, Jacques Charron, Louis-Marie Charron, Andre Charron, Denis Charron, Rita Charron, Claude Charron, and Lise Charron. She is survived by her husband Stanley Joseph Fitzgerald; son Sean Fitzgerald, his wife Kelsey Fitzgerald and their children Hadley and Logan; son Patrick Fitzgerald, his wife Laurie Fitzgerald and their children Finn and Maggie; son Eric Fitzgerald, his wife Erika Fitzgerald and their children Kara, Kylie, and Luke; cousin Sylvie Sarkis, her husband Bob Sarkis and their daughters Joelle, Catherine, and Valerie; and siblings Gisele Charron, Paul-Yvon Charron, Marc Charron, and Gilles Charron.

Pierrette’s immediate family will gather in Austin to honor her memory. She will be buried with family in Sainte-Thérèse, following a service and celebration of her life to be held in early June. Please consider making a donation in memory of Pierrette to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (https://www.lls.org/) or MD Anderson (https://www.mdanderson.org/donors-volunteers/donate/honor-loved-ones.html), to aid in the fight against lymphoma and so that others may receive the amazing kindness, compassion and expert medical care she received in her final weeks. We thank everyone at MD Anderson for their expert care and compassion shown to Pierrette.