Harry Joseph Fitzgerald

Harry J. Fitzgerald 10/26/1919 09/17/2014 Resident of Concord Harry passed peacefully on September 17th after a life filled with love and accomplishment. He was born in Flint, Michigan to Joseph and Alice but moved shortly after to the Sunset District of San Francisco. He attended St. Annes and Jefferson elementary schools and Polytechnic high school before entering Stanford University. Harry graduated in 1941 with a B.S. degree in electrical engineering and was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy. He entered World War II in 1942 and served as the diving officer and executive officer onboard the submarine USS Billfish (SS 286) in the Pacific theater where he earned the Victory Medal and American Theatre, Asiatic-Pacific (2 stars) and Submarine Combat Insignia (1 star) campaign ribbons. After discharge from active duty in 1946 as a lieutenant, Harry worked for PG&E in Eureka and then at Western Sugar Refinery in San Francisco for a short period where he earned his Professional Engineer certification. In 1950, Harry began his career at C&H Sugar where he started as project engineer, was promoted to chief engineer and ultimately retired in 1983 as assistant vice president of refinery operations. During these years, Harry maintained his association with the U.S. Navy through weekly reserve meetings and annual periods of active duty assignment, retiring in 1979 with the rank of Captain. Harry was blessed to have met and married two wonderful women in his life, each for thirty years or more. While in active duty in the Navy, he met Reidun Koren. They married in 1946 at Old St. Marys in San Francisco. They bore and raised four children, Christine, Douglas, Daniel and Thomas. Reidun and Christine unfortunately passed away too early, Reidun in 1980 and Christine in 2013. In 1981, he met Kathryn Lewis and they married in 1982 at the Chapel on Mare Island. He and Kathy enjoyed many wonderful years traveling together. Kathy passed away in 2012. While his sons were growing up, Harry became very active in scouting, both cub scouts and boy scouts. His scouting service included District positions for the Mt. Diablo Council. In 1967, he was awarded the prestigious Exceptional Service Award. Harry was a hardworking, real do-it-yourself type of man. He spent much of his free time improving the condition of the family house in Concord where he lived since 1951. Whether it was building fences, laying brick sidewalks or harvesting the walnuts from the five trees on his property, he did it while enlisting his children to help as they grew older. He designed two major additions to the family house including complete sets of plans he drafted at home. He contracted the construction but would oversee progress every evening after he returned from work. He developed some kitchen expertise after his first wife died. Everyone loved his pomegranate jelly, Caesar salad and homemade spaghetti sauce. He was an excellent dancer and a terrible singer. Harry was always an active member of the Catholic Church, serving as Eucharistic minister and the Monsignors designated representative on the parish council for many years. Harry is survived by his sons, Doug Fitzgerald of Chicago, Dan Fitzgerald (and daughter-in-law Christina Haslund) of Lafayette and Tom Fitzgerald of Campbell; his son-in-law, Roger Gilbert of Concord; and grandchildren Reidun Waddell (and her husband, Robert) of Chico, Justin Gilbert of San Francisco, Bryna Fitzgerald of Ft. Collins CO, Johnathan and Logan Fitzgerald of Campbell and Nicolaus Haslund Fitzgerald of Lafayette. Memorial Services will be held Wednesday, October 8, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church located at 860 Oak Grove Road, Concord. Internment and military honors will follow at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, 1965 Reliez Valley Rd., Lafayette. Donations may be made in remembrance to Alzheimers Association. Memorial Mass Wednesday, October 8, 2014 10:30 am St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church 860 Oak Grove Rd. Concord CA 94518