Barbara Sue FitzGerrell

At the age of three, Barbara and her family moved to a home on Broadway Street in Harrisburg, at the East End of Houston. Mom attended Deady Junior High and Milby High School where she was a class beauty and cheerleader. During the summers and on weekends, Mom often took the city bus to Downtown Houston to visit the public library and explore other sites with her friends. She was also a frequent visitor to the neighborhood cinema as she loved going to the movies. Since her mother worked outside the home, Mom’s job was to prep dinner. Although guided by her mother, she was largely a self-taught home cook, and until her last days before moving into assisted living, her flavorful, nourishing meals sustained many family members and friends. Why go to a restaurant when you could have Barbara’s cooking?

In her high school years, Mom had an angel in the form of her high school counselor, Mrs. Mary Louise Needham (Howze), who later became an HISD school administrator. She recognized Mom’s intellectual potential and secured a full two-year scholarship for her at Houston Business College. While there, she mastered short-hand (typing at 120 words/minute) and budgeting, which would prove immensely helpful in later years as she managed a seven-person household on a strict budget. At this same time, Mom was a member of the Shamrock Corkettes, the famous synchronized swimming team that rained and performed at the Shamrock Hilton Hotel in its massive, Olympic-sized swimming pool. She was an elegant swimmer!

In 1952, while employed at Tennessee Gas Pipeline, Mom literally ran into a handsome young co-worker, Gilbert from the accounting department, on the stairs. It was love at first sight! He began delivering her paycheck on a regular basis and took every opportunity to see sweet Barbara. She was 19 and Dad was 24. Mom had already converted to Catholicism, and Dad agreed to follow. After eight months of dating, they married on July 18, 1953. Their marriage would have reached the 73-year mark this July.

In their early married years, Dad’s job with Tennessee Gas took them to Victoria, TX. where Malcolm was born. Returning to Houston briefly, they then ventured to Reidsville, NC, where Dad worked for Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Co. After a few other brief moves “along the pipeline,” they were ready to make their way back to Houston. They purchased a home on Jason Street in Maplewood North. Greg was born, and two years later, Suzanne followed. Along with the other young families nearby, they formed The Supper Club. Families hosted backyard get-togethers, pot luck dinners, coffee klatches and more. This friend group met regularly and lasted for many decades.

In 1963, Mom and Dad were apprehensive to leave their quaint neighborhood but needed more space and wanted to be closer to the FitzGerrell grandparents in West University. They found a beautiful 1930s “too expensive” home on Addison Road off Kirby Drive in the Southgate neighborhood near Rice University. Dad reached out to a friend in the home mortgage business who helped them secure a 30-year loan for the costly sum of $17,500. Soon after the move, they welcomed Sharon, and then a few years later Clayton. Mom stretched our family budget by couponing, vegetable co-opping (where neighborhood families pooled their funds and shopped weekly at the Airline Drive produce market), and utilizing many other cost-saving home economic strategies. Her children never wanted for anything and were taught at an early age to seek employment, create savings, spend wisely and have fun. Mom and Dad enjoyed 25 wonderful years on Addison raising their five children and becoming a fixture in the neighborhood.

Mom managed our large family’s schedule—social, school and extracurricular activities—with ease. She organized carpool logistics, homework and all the demands of school for her children at various seasons of life, including St. Paul’s Mother’s Day Out, Roberts Elementary, St. Vincent de Paul, Pershing Junior High, Lamar, St. Thomas and Briarwood. Her children were involved in diverse activities, including West University Little League, Miss Betty’s dance studio, West University softball, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, gymnastics and piano lessons, to name a few. During this busy time, Mom met her dear friend, Margaret Granberry, who had four young sons with her husband Malcolm. This was the beginning of a 60+ year family friendship where they shared family gatherings, along with their Catholic faith. The FitzGerrells and Granberrys travelled together, relaxed at the Granberry farm in Hallettsville, co-hosted garage sales and enjoyed many fabulous meals as Margaret was Mom’s equal in the kitchen. Mom was also a model for The Ben Shaw modeling agency, as well as being a much sought-after seamstress in the local area. She made many of her own beautiful clothes along with Suzanne and Sharon’s special ensembles.

Mom was a stay-at-home mom until Clayton was in middle school in the late 70s. She worked part-time at McGovern Allergy Clinic and then transitioned to full-time work at the behest of her Supper Club friend, Aurise Wogan, who started Liaison International, an office suite business that catered to visiting oil and gas industry executives. According to Aurise, Mom had a “calm presence, beautiful appearance and gracious manner.” After years at Liaison, Mom landed an executive secretary position to the CFO at Quintana Petroleum owned by the Cullen family. The family was very good to Mom, and she spent 25 happy years there.

During this time, two organizations ignited Mom and Dad’s desire to travel. They got involved in the Harris County Heritage Society, where Mom was elected to its board. For the next 15 years, she coordinated and planned many of the national and international trips for the Society. An added bonus was the beginning of a lifetime friendship with Barbara Lee Teas whose travel agency partnered with the Society. The second group was the Houston Grampian Association, founded when Houston became a sister city to Aberdeen, Scotland. Mom’s oil and gas business contacts with Liasion International helped foster this relationship. Mom and Dad enjoyed many trips to the Granite City and to the beautiful surrounding Scottish countryside. Whenever the Scots ventured to Houston, Mom and Dad welcomed them with a wonderful dinner party at their home. Their life was always full, with their kids’ activities, their friends, their work and their travel.

During their next season of life, their grandparent years, Mom and Dad attended many events all over town for all their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At this time, they built a custom home on Robinhood Street in West University Place on the site of the FitzGerrell grandparents’ bungalow. They enjoyed another 25 years at this home where they hosted many dinner parties, Christmas brunches, etc. Once retired, Mom enjoyed her Mahjong group, sewing group and YMCA classes. Realizing they needed single-story living, Mom and Dad moved again, hauling their beautiful antiques to a 28th floor condominium at Greenway 15, which overlooked River Oaks and Downtown Houston. They spent seven years there before their health dictated moving in 2022 to assisted living at Village of Southhampton in Rice Village. Mom was always the best-dressed and attended all the exercise classes there. She was an inspiration to others with her elegance, positivity and friendly disposition.

Barbara will be remembered for her sweet nature, unpretentiousness, selflessness and God-given flair. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, aunt and friend, as well as a trusted employee and well-respected co-worker. Her concern was always for others.

She is predeceased by parents Omega Gaunt Tiner and Thomas Tiner, sister June Polk, nephews David Robbins and Brad Robbins, niece Linda Keese and dear family friend Robert Shinn.

Surviving are her loving husband of 72 years, Gilbert Kline FitzGerrell; son Malcolm FitzGerrell and wife Jan; son Gregory FitzGerrell; daughter Suzanne FitzGerrell Caram and husband John; daughter Sharon FitzGerrell; son Clayton FitzGerrell and wife Darla; and niece Donna Magill, husband Steve and their family.

Also surviving are brother-in-law Richard FitzGerrell and wife Nancy; their children Kevin FitzGerrell and wife Jema; Brian FitzGerrell and wife Kristin; Amy FitzGerrell; Alan FitzGerrell and wife Amy; and their extended families.

Grandchildren include Andrea Pitman; Megan FitzGerrell and husband Jason Noland; Gregory FitzGerrell, Jr.; Taylor FitzGerrell Taylor and husband Adam; Kelsey FitzGerrell; Lindsay Caram Stankus and husband Bryan; Collin Caram; Sasha Landman; and Jacob Mauldin. Great-grandchildren include Anthony Pitman; Gage Noland; Kennedy Noland; Grayson Noland; Isabella Noland; Eleanor Taylor; Hugh Taylor; and Hayden Stankus. Great-great grandchild is Arthur Pitman.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Village of Southampton. We also want to recognize the loving care of the Seven Acres staff and Claudia Crawford, RN, case manager with Vantage Hospice.

Barbara’s funeral will be held on Tuesday, May 12th at Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 6800 Buffalo Speedway. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. Rosary will begin at 9:30 a.m. followed by a funeral mass conducted by Father Sean Horrigan at 10:00 a.m. The family invites friends and family members to a gathering following the service in the Jamail Parish Family Center. A private family internment will be conducted at Memorial Oaks Cemetery Katy Freeway.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a charity of your choice or to Heritage Society in Barbara’s memory at www.Heritagesociety.org, or by mail at 1100 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002. May God bless you and yours.

Godspeed, Barbara. You loved many and were loved by many!