Paula, My sympathy to you and your family.  How wonderful you had him with you for so long.  May he rest in peace.
Connie (Parise) Gyves,    Anderson, CA

We will miss Fitz so much. He brought us lots of laughter and wisdom.

Love,

The John Carr Family of Rocklin

Paula, John,Patrick and family,

I'm so sorry to hear about your father.
I really only new him as "Fitz".
I have fond memories of him at the Fizgerald dinner table. He would be busy shoveling food in and seemingly not paying attention when all of a sudden he would make a comment about whoever we were talking about.
His favorite comment was "He doesn't know what he is talking about. That guy doesn't know anything. Fitz always thought he had better information.
One thing about Fitz is when the chips were down he would always be there to help fix any situation. He had a big heart but didn't want you to fuss over him.
The joke in the family was you never wanted Fitz to fix an appliance or leak in the sink. He was known for the duct tape solution. I can remember Phil going behind him grumbling that he wished Fitz wouldn't try and fix anything because it took him longer to do it right.
Fitz was known to drive straight through to what ever long distance destination he was headed to. He also would tell his wife Paula, at the last minute that he wanted to drive to Idaho the next day. She would always be ready no matter hard it was.
Fitz loved his wife and children more than he would ever say. He wasn't one for alot of affectionate words. He was a man of action and was always doing things to help each family member. Sometimes he was tough on them but then would turn around and surprise them by taking care of some problem.
I remember his dog "Digger" the dog everyone else called "Crammer". He took that dog everywhere.  
You never could win an argument with Fitz, he would just smile and know he was right.
He had many accomplishments in his life
and always worked very hard.
I was always amazed at his unlimited energy had how he never complained about aches or pains. He just keep going like the "Energizer Bunny".
Fitz will be missed by many. You can be proud of your legacy.
Love,
Linda Edvenson-Klauer

My deepest sympathy and prayers for all the family.  I always felt a special connection with John because I too was born in Green Bay.  (My uncle went to school with him.)  John was always a good friend to Virgil, me, and my family.  He helped my daughter obtain a couple of her jobs, and he visited me often after Virgil's death.  He was a good man, and he will be missed.

I've known Fitz for more than 40 years, having been close friends with his son, Phil.  During the years of our youth, he was usually at work but his influence was always there.  Over the past years while he has been lovingly cared for at Lavendar Hills, I've had the pleasure to see a great deal of him.  Mostly I remember Sundays at Phil and Becky's. Three of Fitz' kids live out of town and came to see him often but Phil was the only family he had actually living in Redding.  Every Sunday, they would pick him up and take him to their home for Sunday dinner and I was fortunate to be invited often.  Fitz would read the paper (more than once in the recent years), complain about the leaning tree in the backyard and prune whatever living or non living plant he could find.  We would sit at the dinner table for one of Phil's “feasts” and Fitz would eat more than you could imagine even though he was “not hungry”.  He had a good life right to the end and now he is in heaven with God, his son Phil, and his wife Paula.  I'll miss you Fitz, God Bless You

Rest in peace, Fitz.  I am content to know that his most recent, lucid times were spent outdoors at the ranch with "Reese."  "That's a good dog," he would say to me. And Fitz, as we know, was not afraid to tell you how he really felt.  That's how I will remember him.

Fitz we will miss you.
my condolences to his family.

We already miss Fitz so much.  I loved it when I could make him smile and see that twinkle in his eyes.  It has been an honor to have had Fitz here at Lavender Hills for the past 7 1/2 years.  We don't know what we will do without our expert bush trimmer :)!  It has been wonderful to have such a close relationship with all of his family, too.  Thank you for sharing this wonderful man with us.  Our deepest and sincere sympathy.

We so enjoyed having Fitz as a member of our family, though the time was short.  We loved him so.  We laughed together.  He was like a leprechaun with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Rest in peace, Fitz.

Maureen Carr Morrison

To Patrick, Paula and John

Got a lump in my throat and an ache in my heart when I heard Fitz had passed- The memories I have of our families over the past 40 something years will always be cherised - 

Debby Ochinero Koopman

Paula, so sorry for your loss...   Fritz was a great neighbor with a sarcastic sense of humor that I always enjoyed!  He was one of those rare people who you never forget!
Kitt

An amazing man John Fitzgerald, a man that could melt your heart with his smile.  I would like to thank John, Paula and Patrick for sharing their father with us a Lavender Hills.  It is with a fond heart that he will be remembered with every leaf that grows and every flower that blooms. My condolences to you.

My deepest condolences to the family.  To know John was to love him.  I've had the honor of knowing John for the past seven years as a resident of Lavender Hills.  These years were by far not a time when he was able to speak about his traveling or his many accomplishments in life.  This was a time of suffering for him and he did it with dignity.  I will always remember John as a man that wanted to please God in all that he did.  He was receiving the Blessed Sacrament on a regular basis those seven years and it was an honor and privilege to be one of several that would take that sacrament to him. May his soul rest in peace now.

Lover of the Lamb
Audrey Sisley
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church

My dad, Herb Goss was a good friend of John's for many years here in
Redding. My father also passed this month.  My condolences to the
family.

To the Fitzgerald Family:  

My thoughts and prayers are with you all. Fitz was a great man who led a full life that most people only talk about. I personally hold him in high esteem as my mentor and educator who taught me the real world lessons in business and accounting that they did not teach or tell you about school.  He helped shape my career into what it is today and for that I will always be thankful to him.  I will miss Fitz and remember him always.

John & Evelyn Grimes

OBITUARY

John Garrett Fitzgerald

January 1, 1918 – January 21, 2012

McDonald's Chapel & Redding Memorial Park

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