Carolyn Melton Fitz-Gerald

Carolyn Anne Melton Fitz-Gerald died Saturday, April 19, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. She was 93. Born in Cuero, Texas to Stillwell Morris Melton and Alice Wood Melton, she spent her early years in Cuero, Ft. Worth, Nacogdoches, Alpine, Kermit and Dallas. She lived in Midland for 44 years with her husband, Judge James Fitz-Gerald III. Carolyn met her husband, Jim, at The University of Texas at Austin. They were married in Austin where they lived for a short while. After her husband’s military service, they lived in Midland, followed by Austin again. The family moved to Tyler with their children: Lyn, Jeanne and Jimmy. After living in Tyler for two years, they moved to Midland where their daughter Mary Mab was born.

Carolyn graduated from Highland Park High School, attended SMU and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin where she entered graduate school. She was one of the first teachers of reading for the Austin Independent School District. After moving to Midland, she was principal in an advertising agency, Writers Ink Inc., and a contributor to various newspapers and magazines. She produced education materials, but much of her career was devoted to travel articles. In addition, she was editor of Drill Bit, an oil industry magazine. Carolyn directed news and information for The University of Texas Permian Basin, and for the Midland Independent School District. Later, she and author/editor Jim Morris produced a video, Fighting Men: The Green Berets, portions of which ran on national television. She was publicist for a country singer who won the New York City Marlboro contest. Also, she represented an international portraitist which necessitated many trips to France. She enjoyed participating in Melton-Peninsula, a branch of MacMillan Publishers of London, which afforded her time spent in that city where she became a staunch anglophile.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, mentioned above, her brothers Stillwell Morris Melton, Jr. and William Howell Melton, her husband, James Fitz-Gerald III, and her son, James Fitz-Gerald IV. She is survived by her three daughters: Lyn Fitz-Gerald Levin and her husband Steve of Richardson, Jeanne Fitz-Gerald Shilstone and her husband Jay of Prosper and Mab FitzGerald and her husband Dr. John Daly of Rochester, New York.

She leaves five grandchildren and two great granddaughters. They are David Levin and his wife Mariah of Houston; Robert Daly of Rochester, New York; Carolyn Daly of Rochester, New York; Samantha Shilstone of Frisco; and Sarah Shilstone Tanner and her husband, Lucas, of Ft. Worth, parents of Carolyn’s great granddaughters, Madilyn Jo and Ella Kate. The deceased is survived, also, by a sister-in-law, two nieces, a nephew and several close cousins.

Carolyn asked that memorials be directed to the travel destination of your choice. She wishes you Bon Voyage.