Margaret Catherine Fitzpatrick, 82, passed away, on Saturday, April 13. 2013, in Durham, North Carolina.
Born in Brooklyn, New York on July 25, 1930, Margaret was a daughter of the late Thomas and Margaret Jennings McDonald. She was predeceased by her sister Elizabeth McDonald Costello. While working at Cahill Gordon Law Firm, she met the love of her life, Thomas B. Fitzpatrick. They moved as a newly married couple to Alexandria, VA, where they lived for 38 years and raised their family. Margaret was a devoted mother and active volunteer in her children’s schools and her parish. She was an accomplished seamstress and creative in many crafts.
Margaret and Tom moved from Alexandria to Myrtle Beach in 1989 following his retirement, where she continued to volunteer, becoming very active in St. Andrew Catholic Church. She was a Past President of the Women’s Club, where she was named “Woman of the Year.” In 2011, Margaret and Tom moved to Durham, NC to be close to some of their family and became members of Holy Infant Catholic Church.
Surviving are her husband of 61 years, Thomas B. Fitzpatrick of Durham, NC; a son, Thomas M. Fitzpatrick and his wife, Priscilla of Philadelphia, PA; four daughters, Maureen E. Gonzales of Durham, NC, Colleen A. Fitzpatrick and her husband, Fred Pugsley of Durham, NC, Eileen M. Fitzpatrick of Alexandria, VA and Kathleen A. Gallagher of Alexandria, VA; a brother, Thomas McDonald of Scarsdale, NY; two sisters, Lorraine Gilman and her husband, Robert of Islip, NY and Patricia Gaynor of Bethpage, NY; eleven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and a beloved brother-in-law, Charles P. Fitzpatrick of Myrtle Beach, SC.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 18, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at McMillan-Small Funeral Home, Myrtle Beach, SC., with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, April 19, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Andrew Catholic Church, Myrtle Beach, SC with inurnment to follow at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church Columbarium, North Myrtle Beach, SC.
Memorials may be made to St. Andrew’s Catholic Church building fund, Myrtle Beach, SC or Heartland Hospice, Raleigh, NC.
An online guest register is available at www.msfh.net or www.hallwynne.com
McMillan-Small Funeral Home is serving the family in Myrtle Beach and Hall-Wynne Funeral Service is serving the family in Durham.
Judy Thorpe
Few things in life will ever affect us more deeply than the death of a loved one. Afterwards, you may have to be contending with a range of emotions that you never before experienced. Death affects each person differently. Indeed, the Bible says that “each one” has “his own plague & his own pain.”2 Chron. 6:29 Crying is not a sign of weakness. Even such strong men as Abraham, Joseph, David, & Jesus shed tears when they were grieving.- Gen. 23:2; Gen. 50:1; 2 Samuel 1:11,12; Samuel 18:33; John 11:35. Grief can be like waves that crashed ashore at unexpected moments. This is normal—even if it occurs years after your loved ones death. Don’t hold back the tears! Crying helps ease the pain of grief. People grief in different ways. The important thing is this: If you feel tears welling up, realize that it may be “ A time to weep” Ecc. 3:4