Patricia Ann Mulcahy Fitzgerald

Patricia Fitzgerald of Raleigh, NC passed away on June 12 at the age of 84. Pat was preceded in death by her mother Genevieve Mulcahy, father Daniel Mulcahy, and stepmother Mary Mulcahy. Pat is survived by her brother Dan, (wife Dee), sister Rita, and her loving husband of 60 years, Kenneth Fitzgerald. They were married in New York on Thanksgiving Day 1956. She is lovingly remembered by her daughters: Genevieve of Raleigh, Kathleen of Chapel Hill, Therese (husband, David) of Chapel Hill, Maura (husband, Rusty) of Raleigh, and son Kevin (wife, Clara) of Columbia, MD; her ten grandchildren, Colette (husband, Iain); Mallory (husband, William), Edward (wife, Miranda); Nile; Erika (husband, Ose); Daniel; Spencer; Deanna; Nicholas; Gregory; two great-grandchildren (Lincoln and Owen) and a great-grandbaby on the way; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Pat was born May 16, 1933 in Queens, NY. She went to Queens College, where she met her husband Ken at the Newman Club. She did graduate work at Fordham University in New York. She was an elementary education teacher in New York City before having children.

Pat had many interests. History - she was a docent at Mordecai House for many years. Education and literacy – she was the Story Bus Lady when the family lived in Poughkeepsie, NY; an adult literacy advocate when they lived in Baton Rouge, LA; and she was an avid reader and book club member. Seamstress and quilter – all her children and grandchildren have quilts, and so do some of their dolls. She had a green thumb with jade plants and African violets, and was interested in nutrition before it was fashionable, putting a good meal on the table for a family of seven every night. Pat was observant about human nature, with an understated sense of humor. She liked to swim too --- if the water was bath temperature. She was committed to her faith and with her husband Ken, taught CCD for many years. Pat will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by friends and family.

A memorial service will be held 11:00 on Tuesday, June 20 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Raleigh. The family will receive friends at a reception and celebration of her life, at St. Francis, immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh, 7200 Stonehenge Drive, Raleigh, NC 27613-1620, or to the early literacy organization Reach Out and Read at http://www.reachoutandread.org/