James Patrick Fitzgerald

JAMES PATRICK FITZGERALD

James Patrick Fitzgerald died peacefully in his sleep on March 5, 2020, after receiving the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. He was born on October 15, 1929, at Queen of Angels Hospital in Los Angeles. Two of his oldest memories were seeing cars surround the Memorial Coliseum during the 1932 Olympics and the Long Beach Earthquake of 1933. He resided in the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Highland Park, South Los Angeles, and Eagle Rock until his marriage in 1954. Jim then lived in Lakewood, California, until shortly before his death. A beloved husband and father, son and nephew, uncle, cousin, friend, neighbor, and colleague, Jim devoted himself to his family, teaching career, parish, following national and California politics, and appreciating the natural beauty of California through fishing, hiking, hunting, and camping.

Jim attended grammar school in the Los Angeles parochial schools, particularly at St. Michael’s Church in South Los Angeles. He sang in the boy’s choir led by the celebrated Roger Wagner, who went on to found the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Jim graduated from Mount Carmel High School, where his extraordinary aptitude in mathematics was recognized. He then began his undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California, for which he used savings from his work in grocery stores as a teenager.

Jim’s studies at USC were interrupted when his National Guard unit was activated during the Korean War. He served in the National Guard and then the 1 ^st Cavalry Division of the United States Army from 1949 to 1952, seeing combat in Korea both below and above the 38 ^th parallel. Jim achieved the ranks of Master Sergeant and then First Sergeant. He was honorably discharged.

Jim returned to USC to complete his undergraduate studies, using poker winnings from his time in service, savings from his work in the markets as a butcher, and the GI Bill. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he obtained both elementary and secondary General Teaching Credentials from the State of California. Jim was hired as a mathematics and science teacher in the Long Beach Unified School District and worked for the LBUSD until his retirement. His teaching career was entirely at Benjamin Franklin Junior High School and then John Marshall Junior High School; his saying to his classes that “You’re coming along like a herd of turtles” was proverbial at those schools.

After starting his teaching career, Jim obtained a Master-of-Science degree from the USC School of Education and completed extensive graduate studies beyond that degree. He was a senior Master Teacher for USC and for a time held the courtesy rank of Associate Professor of Education.

Jim strongly believed in the importance of unions. He was active in the Retail Clerks when he worked in grocery stores as a teenager. As a teacher, he was a member of, volunteered for, and held positions in the Teachers Association of Long Beach (TALB) and the California Teachers Association (CTA). Through his wife’s membership, he also participated in the activities of the California State Retirees (CSR) and its Chapter 9. Throughout his life, he remained proud that his father was a co-founder of the Bakery and Confectionery Workers Union in Los Angeles in the 1920s.

After his retirement, Jim traveled extensively with his wife and spent time with his twin sons. He was active in American Legion Post No. 496 (Lakewood/Long Beach), serving as Sergeant-at-Arms, and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He also volunteered at the Long Beach Veterans Hospital. He was a sustaining member of the National Rifle Association.

Jim is survived by his twin sons Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Raymond Fitzgerald and the Honorable Michael Walter Fitzgerald, and Michael's husband Arturo Vargas, all of Los Angeles. He also is survived by his brother-in-law Donald Berryman and his wife Adelaide “Del” Berryman, of Anaheim, California, and their children and spouses, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. And he is also survived by the surviving children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of his late aunt Anna O’Brien ( née Fitzgerald) and her late husband George O’Brien, of Lakewood, California.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 65 years, Vivianne Leigh Fitzgerald ( née Berryman), his father Raymond William Fitzgerald, his mother Ellen Fitzgerald ( née McCauley), Anna and George O’Brien, and cousins Conleth “Connie” McGee ( née O’Brien) and Eileen O’Brien, whose religious name was Sister Georgeann, C.S.J.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at a later date. A Vigil for the Deceased with eulogies will be held on Friday, March 13, 2020, at 6:00 p.m., at Luyben-Dilday Mortuary, 5161 East Arbor Road, Long Beach, CA 90808 (562) 425-6401. Jim will be buried at All Souls Cemetery, 4400 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90807, with his wife and next to his parents. The Rite of Committal with military funeral honors and, at Jim’s request, the singing of “Danny Boy” will be held graveside on Saturday, March 14, 2020, at 10:30 a.m.

Flowers may be sent to Luyben-Dilday Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made either to (1) the James P. Fitzgerald Endowment Fund of the Music Center Foundation for the benefit of the Los Angeles Master Chorale; or (2) the Rossier School of Education of the University of Southern California.

For the Master Chorale: (1) Visit https://lamasterchorale.org/support ; (2) click the Donate button; (3) enter the gift amount or select “Custom Amount” from the drop down menu; (4) select Designation – Season Concerts; (5) enter your own name in the Preferred Recognition Name field; and (6) enter  “James P. Fitzgerald Endowment Fund” in the In Memory/In Honor Of field. You may also mail a check to The Music Center Foundation, 135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012, with “James P. Fitzgerald Endowment Fund” written on the memo line. Questions may be addressed to Steven Benson, President of the Music Center Fund, at (213) 972-8046.

For the USC School of Education: (1)Visit https://rossier.usc.edu/giving/ ; (2) click the “Make a Gift” button; (3) select *USC Rossier Scholarship Fund; (4) click “Memorial or honoriarium information” to open a dialog box; (5) insert “James Fitzgerald” for In Memory Of; and (6) enter under Notify this Person: Michael Fitzgerald, 350 West 1 ^st Street, Suite 4311, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401