F. Thomas "Tom" Fitzgerald

F. Tom Fitzgerald, 78
Photo
Floyd Thomas “Tom” Fitzgerald, 78, of Rockford, passed away peacefully, Friday, March 11, 2016 at home with his loving wife and family at his side. He was born July 23, 1937 at St. Anthony Hospital the son of Floyd F. and Pearl F. (Lampson) Fitzgerald. Tom began his education in Rockford and moved for a brief time to Michigan before returning to attend Roosevelt Jr. High and West High School. He joined the United States Marine Corps on July 26, 1954 and after basic training in San Diego he was sent to Atsugi, Japan where he remained until his return to Great Lakes Naval Base and honorably discharged on July 26, 1957. On August 29, 1959 he married his blushing bride, Betty Pumphrey at Grace Methodist Church and they have been happily married for 56 years. Tom worked various jobs until being employed by Eagle Foods as a meat cutter and was better known as “Bubba” by his coworkers. He retired in December of 1999 after 40 faithful years of service. Wanting to stay busy he began delivering flowers for Crimson Ridge for 11 years and always enjoyed seeing the recipients face light up when he gave them their beautiful bouquets. Tom found his hidden talent in the last 5 years and began building and hand painting bird houses with various sporting team logos and he was sure they were perfect and precise. He had a wonderful outlook on life and was an outgoing, fun loving person who never met a stranger and usually had a joke or two to tell. He held a special place in his heart for the guys he grew up with in the 50’s and they still get together calling themselves, “ The West End Guys”. Tom always said his greatest blessing in life was his loving family and how he was able to lavish all his love everyday by being there for his wife, children and grandchildren and for all their love in return "priceless". Tom loved to travel with the Alaska Cruise, Eastern and Western Caribbean Cruises where they traveled to such places as, Aruba, mackinaw Island, Grand Canyon, Graceland and Las Vegas was always a great trip. Tom also enjoyed a simple car ride to Galena or Lake Geneva where he cherished the beauty of nature and the change of seasons and you could always find him watching his beloved Green Bay Packers if they were on. He was a true gentleman, a caring friend, a hard worker and most of all a very loving husband, father, grandfather and brother. He will be deeply missed by all of those that had the chance to laugh with him. He loved God and life itself and it showed abundantly and for all these years on earth Tom was, and always will be, our special angel. The family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Rockford Memorial Hospital; Northern Illinois Hospice for their wonderful care, all of Tom and Betty’s neighbors who have been a huge support and to Crimson Ridge Flowers and Gifts and all the Reppen girls for all they have done.
He is survived by the love of his life, Betty; daughter, Kim (Russ) Madeen of Monroe Center; son, Jake (Jacolyn) Fitzgerald of Loves Park; grandchildren, Chase (Shea) Madeen, Tanner Madeen, Whitney Madeen, Parker Madeen, Casey Madeen and Reese Fitzgerald; special mother-in-law, Wilma Pumphrey, brother-in-law, Jim (Joan) Pumphrey; sister-in-law, Pat (Frank) Hall; step brothers, Ivan and Harold (Carolyn) Eye; step sister, Debbie (Scott) Schafer and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, step parents, Marion and Marian Eye, step father, Bill Waskiewicz; father-in-law, Donald R. Pumphrey; brother-in-law, Don Pumphrey; step brothers, Donald and Dale Eye; step sisters, Beverly Kurlinkus and Sandra Eye; half-brother, Richard Fitzgerald and sister-in-law, Martha Eye.

Funeral Mass Thursday, March 17 at 11 a.m. at St. Bridget Catholic Church, 600 Clifford Ave. Visitation Wednesday, March 16 from 4-8 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Rd. and will continue on Thursday at church from 10 – 10:45 a.m. Interment will be held in Sunset Memorial Gardens. The family will continue Tom's life celebration and Irish Wake at Forest City Event's after the burial. Memorials to the family for a fund to be established at a later date. Extend online condolences at: www.fitzgeraldfh.com