Patrick Michael Fitzgerald

Mike was born on September 12, 1932, the son of an Irish Blacksmith and Machinist in Mansfield, Douglas County, Roy Louis (Buzz) Fitzgerald and Marie M. Housden. He started working for his father, at age six and by 12 was employed by local ranchers during his school breaks. In 1949 in partnership with his father established a small working ranch raising grain and cattle near the old town of Dyer, on his late grandfather Timothy Fitzgerald Farm. He graduated from Mansfield High School in 1950. Mike served during the Korean Conflict with the US Naval Aviation, first as an Aircraft Mechanic received his training in San Diego, El Centro, Santa Anna and Point Magu, CA. He transferred into the Logistics Field and receiving his training in Norman, OK and Jacksonville, FL leaving active duty in Navy in 1954 as a Supply Quality Control Inspector at Moffett Field, San Jose, CA.

He returned to ranching for the next two years, and in the spring of 1956 he re-entered the service with the Air Force in the Logistics Field, stationed at San Antonio, TX and Nouasser in Morocco. In August 1956 he married the former Mary Edna Schenzel of Withrow in Bridgeport, Douglas County. Mike and Mary had two daughters, Theresa Marie and Mary Esther. In 1962 he trained into the Transportation Packing field and attended schools in that profession at Toledo, OH, San Bernardino, CA, Wichita Falls, TX, Tachikawa, Japan, and graduated from JMPTC in Aberdeen, Maryland. Mike supervised Packaging Faculties at Moses Lake, WA, Castle AFB, CA, Don Muang International Airport, Bangkok, Thailand, Malmstrum AFB in Great Falls, MT, Fukuoka International Airport, Japan, U-Tapao Naval Airfield, Thailand and Duluth International Airport, MN. In 1973 he moved to the Headquarters, Military Airlift Command in Southern Illinois as a Packaging Advisor to the Director of Transportation. Mike worked closely with the AF Material Command, Office of Hazardous Materials, DOT and FAA in Washington DC in standardizing the labeling of hazardous materials and for over two years worked on consolidating Federal Laws and Department of Defense regulations governing the movement of Hazardous Materials worldwide. He was instrumental in designing the current Hazardous Material Placard used for transportation of that material in America for all modes of transportation. This was later adopted by the United Nations and is currently used by all member states. Mike was also a member of the MAC Transportation Standardized team, and traveled coast to coast and to Japan and Puerto Rico inspecting and advising Air Force transportation units. He also served as an advisor and coordinator in the packaging and movement of oversize or unusual materials for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, NASA in Huntsville, AL and the Army Chemical Warfare Storage Unit in Denver, CO as well as other military and civilian organizations worldwide.

In 1965, Mike married the former Bubpha Tepavon daughter of the late Nikon Tepavon and Vijit Sa Ung of Phanat Nikom in Bangkok, Thailand. Patrick and Bubpha had two children a daughter Kathleen Margaret and son Matthew Steven.

In 1976, Mike retired from the military service after 25 years of active and reserve duty and was employed in the Package Delivery Unit of United Parcel Service (UPS) for the next 14 years in the Southern Illinois operating area. In February 1991 Mike was advised to retire for medical reasons some four years after open-heart, 7-bypass surgery, and several heart attacks. Mike and Bubpha returned to Thailand where they built a home near Nongjom Village in Chiang Mai Providence in the Ping River Valley in north Thailand.

In retirement Mike was active in gardening, particularly flowers and plants native to the tropics and enjoyed working on their house in Saunnonsee doing odd jobs and general upkeep. His hobbies have included leather, stained glass, woodworking, and spent his spare time on family genealogy tracing family members on both sides of his family and compiling information on their history. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and was a life member of the National Rifle Association (NRA). He and his wife attended the Chiang Mai Community Church while in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He was preceded in death by his parents Roy Louis Fitzgerald of Mansfield; Marie M. Taylor, of Bremerton; sister, Wilma Louis Fitzgerald; and brother Michael Lloyd Taylor of Bremerton.

Survivors include his wife, Bubpha Fitzgerald; sisters Lydia Marie Dammann of Wenatchee,WA; and Colleen Donna Stoller of Sarasota, FL; three daughters, Theresa Marie Dale of St. John, WA; Mary Esther Zimmerman of Wenatchee, WA; and Kathleen Margaret Ellis of Melbourne, FL. Son, Matthew Steven Fitzgerald. Five grandchildren, Cody Joseph Dale, Courtney Paige Wayda, Sydney Ramirez Fitzgerald, Isaac Turner Fitzgerald, and Solomon Michael Fitzgerald. Two great grandsons Zane and Harlan Dale

A Memorial Service with military honors will be held on Monday, December 7, 2015 at 3:00 pm at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.