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My Mother Judith Ann Fitzgeralds

My mother was a very caring, a very giving and honest person whom reacted to life's trials by upholding high morals and traditional values.

However, my mom always bluntly described or characterized people, places and events the way that she perceived them, without restricting her words or having any kind of reservations.

For those of you that truly knew my mom, you never had to wonder what her stance was on any topic. She let you know what she thought whether you wanted to hear about it or not. I don't have to wonder where I acquired that same quality.

Over the years, I have learned that I share many of the same personality traits as my mother. And since I am similar in so many ways, I thought I would say a few words on her behalf at her eulogy today, in manner I think she was accustomed to.

Pessimism or a person considered to be a pessimist is one that alludes to the negative factors that exist within any given situation, or at least that is my definition of it. I didn't want to look up the actual definition for fear that I might see my mother's picture next to the description.

I always said that if Ed McMahon from Publisher's Clearing House ever showed up at my mom's door with a $10 Million check, her first reaction, unlike most people who would probably be hysterical with joy, would be to start complaining about having to pay taxes on it.

But that was the kind of person my mother was. It didn't make her a bad person; it made her a unique individual and the person that I always loved.

She also had a very optimistic and loving side to her as well. She loved reminiscing about her family history and her memories of growing up in Missouri. She loved speaking about her brother, Jim. She was very fond of animals and children that she encountered. She enjoyed gardening, watching plants and flowers come to life in spring in addition to the changing seasons when the leaves started to turn. She loved telling stories of our family, our family vacations and the entertaining times we had. She loved listening to music and watching musicians and singers perform. She loved going to church and interacting with everyone that attended. She loved to cook and bake, so that everyone could enjoy her many delectable creations.

I will always remember the smells, the many pleasurable aromas which arose from her kitchen. I will always remember our family camping trips and how much she enjoyed them. I will always remember all the times she yelled at me to close the door! Good or bad, I will always remember the times we had, all the moments we shared and the time we spent together. Whether negative or positive, I will always remember her the way she was. I will always remember my mom.

Eulogy by Keith Fitzgeralds

Mom started showing signs of Parkinsons disease several years ago with a hand shaking. Each time I would go back and visit I would see her becoming more and more withdrawn, the shaking got worse and her ability to physically do things got worse. About 2 years ago the family placed her in a care home because Dad could no longer care for her in our family home. It has been a relief for me to see my Momma pass away as she was in great pain and was no longer the mother I knew, because the disease had taken her mentally. I spent 3 days with her late last year and got maybe 30 minutes of my real mother talking to me.

I will miss her dearly.

With the loss of Jeannine's mom 4 years ago we are now without our mothers.