Benjamin Edward Fitzpatrick Jr.

Ed was born in Elyria, Ohio, on April 7, 1942, to Benjamin Edward, Sr. and Mary Frances Fitzpatrick, and grew up in Oberlin, Ohio. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, in 1964. He was a schoolteacher before shifting to a career in the automotive industry in 1968, where his determination and drive would eventually pave the way for minority-owned car dealerships everywhere.

Beginning as a management trainee, Ed worked his way up at the Chrysler Corporation, holding numerous management positions, including National Minority Dealer Development Manager, before joining Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. as a Dealer Placement Administrator. He was promoted to Market Representation Manager for the Los Angeles Region soon after and then worked as the National Dealer Development Manager for Mitsubishi Motors Sales before establishing the Fitzpatrick Dealer Group in 1989.

Over the ensuing years, he purchased numerous car dealerships, including Puget Sound Chrysler-Plymouth and Puget Sound Dodge in Renton, Washington, and Valley Lexus, Valley BMW, and Valley Kia in Modesto, California. In 2000, he sold Puget Sound Chrysler-Plymouth and Puget Sound Dodge, and in 2002, he opened his flagship store—Coliseum Lexus of Oakland. In 2006, Fitzpatrick Dealership Group became the largest Black-owned dealership in California.

Steadfastly committed to advancing diversity in the automotive industry, Ed worked tirelessly to promote opportunities for minorities. He served as Chairman of the National Association of Minority Auto Dealers and the California New Car Dealers Association; President of the Chrysler Minority Dealer Association; and was the founding president of the Toyota/Lexus Minority Owners Dealership Association.

In recognition of his vast accomplishments, Ed received numerous honors including the Vision Award (National Association of Minority Auto Dealers), Dealer of the Year (California New Car Dealers Association), Quality Dealer of the Year (Time Magazine), and Small Business of the Year Award (Oakland African-American Chamber of Commerce.) For his lifetime of contributions to the American auto industry, Ed was honored with the David F. Mungenast Sr. Lifetime Achievement Award (American International Automobile Dealers), the Black Enterprise Dealer of the Year Award (Black Enterprise magazine), and the Lifetime Achievement Award (National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers). Ed was also inducted into The HistoryMakers for his contribution to the automobile industry, with his oral history archived in the Library of Congress.

A leader, pioneer, visionary, advocate, and entrepreneur, Ed’s passion for cars—the faster, the better—was matched only by his passion for people. He proudly supported numerous charitable organizations with his time and financial resources, including the East Oakland Youth Development Center, the Shelter Cove Community Church, California State University - Stanislaus, the First Tee of Oakland and Modesto, the Modesto Black Men & Women’s Association, the Modesto Salvation Army, the Junior Golf Association of Northern California, and Relief, Inc. He also funded numerous scholarships and wrote checks to the children of his employees when they earned As, encouraging the success of the next generation.

A risk-taker with a big heart, Ed traveled extensively, read avidly, and lived life to the fullest. Anything fast—be it a car, cigarette boat, or race car—delighted him. Whether building an automobile empire or learning to race cars in Italy, Ed relentlessly pursued his dreams with the rare combination of strength and humility that defined him. A die-hard sports fan with an equal passion for supporting education, Ed funded numerous scholarships at California State University, Stanislaus, and never missed a chance to cheer on the Warriors, whose arena—the Ed and Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena—is named in his honor.

Mourning Ed’s death is his loving and devoted wife, Bertha; adoring sons Sean Fitzpatrick (Bree) and Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jenise); beloved grandchildren Katrina, Devin, Darius, and Danika Fitzpatrick; and numerous brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you thoughtfully consider making a memorial donation to support athletic scholarships at Stanislaus State or to the Building Improvement Fund at New Zion Baptist Church in Wiggins, Mississippi.

The online link for Stanislaus State is https://bit.ly/AthleticsScholarships or donations may be mailed to California State University Stanislaus, Division of University Advancement, One University Circle MSR 300, Turlock, CA 95382.

Memorial gifts to New Zion Baptist Church may be made online at www.newzionofwiggins.org. Select "give online" and make donation comment: "building improvement fund" or donations can be mailed to New Zion Baptist Church 103 Thelma Andrews Rd Wiggins, MS 39577.