After her retirement
from Atlantic Research Inc. in Gainesville, VA, Jackie’s love
of all things natural and beautiful were demonstrated through her
tireless commitment to the Garden Club of Montclair, but most profoundly
as a founding member of the not-for-profit ArtBeat artist co-op and
Gallery in Manassas, VA. The only things Jackie cherished more than
sharing her artwork with others in galleries throughout Northern Virginia
was the annual family beach trip that she organized so that she could
visit with her many grandchildren from all over the country whom she
worshipped until her last breath. They include T.C., Taylor, Kenny
and the late Jackson Corrigan; Joseph and Elyse Suprano; Kyla and
Nevan Fitzpatrick; and Angie Ritt. She also kept a loving spot in
her heart for her step-grandchild P.J. Kunwar and her many loving
nieces and nephews.
Jackie’s many
friends will miss her devoted friendship, optimistic outlook and dogged
determination to create a better world regardless of the obstacles
in front of her. In lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions can be made on behalf of Jackie to the ArtBeat
Gallery, P.O. Box 10037, Manassas, VA 20108 or to the Amyloidosis
Research Foundation at 7151 N. Main St., Clarkston, MI 48346 or www.amyloidosis.org/contributions.asp.
Jackie's Eulogy: Delivered by her son, Andy
On behalf of the family,
thank you all for coming to pay your respects today during this very busy and
chaotic time of the year. I know some of you have rearranged your schedules and
traveled a great distance to be here on very short notice, so thank you from the
bottom of our hearts.
I have been asked to say a few words about mom, who has moved on to a better place more deserving of her presence, where angels live…for
all eternity.
Brought into this world by
one of the hardiest and most resilient women you will even meet, seated right
over here, she graced this imperfect world for 74 years; and dad’s world for 54
of those years…raised four kids, and enriched the lives of all she touched.
Those of us lucky enough,
to have mom’s light shine on their presence, know that she embodied some of the
finest qualities that we humans can posses.
Mom helped to enrich whole
communities of people…whether it was her extended family, the Montclair Garden
Club, The Prince William County Art Society, the ArtBeat Co-op, or the infamous
“lunch bunch”, she loved to be part of the human experience. In those
activities, she could make even the shyest person feel included, and had a
magical way that would encourage them to venture beyond their own self-imposed
boundaries, and could guide them into her circle of unconditional acceptance.
And although it sounds trite to say, she assigned value in her relationships
with people based on their integrity and faith, and most certainly not their
perceived position in society.
Even in her last years, her
youthful enthusiasm belied her chronological age, and her unyielding optimism
infused everything she did. And although stricken with a cruel and unrelenting
disease for the past 5 years, she was never one to complain or seek sympathy
from others…and would never use her diminished capacity as an excuse not to
follow through on her commitments to others.
Always carrying herself
with a sense of dignity and grace, it would belie the fact that she was borne of
a less than privileged background; and it was this background that formed the
basis of her humility…and by extension, the ability to connect with ALL
people…especially those with humble beginnings.
Her sense of humor was
subtle and cleverly playful…and she used this special gift to break down
barriers between those with a rough hew, and could find a way to defuse even the
most tense of circumstances. I think about times over the past few years where I
sought to prompt her true feelings about me, and I would often assert my status
with her as “her most favorite son”, and she always reassured me that indeed
that was the case, without ever reminding me, that I was her only
son.
She understood, and often
reminded us kids that talk was cheap, and it was the action that followed the
talk, that was the true measure of your character. And although she was capable
to cheerlead from the sidelines in the right circumstances…she most often led by
example…and let others discover their own inner strength to fulfill their own
destiny.
Her persistence was
legendary, as those who wished to test this particular quality will confirm. But
she countered this dogged persistence with a measured sense of fairness and
balance that kept harmony for all involved. And for those whose voice would
otherwise be neglected, her keen sense of justice made her a champion for the
understated.
Her empathy was unmatched,
as there are those in this room who can remember that she was always willing to
drop ANYTHING she might be doing…to lend a sympathetic ear.
She could be your kindest
critic, yet at the same time your most devoted fan and certainly your most
fearless defender against those that might disparage or speak ill of
you.
And as we ALL know, she had
a gift that would allow her to organize massive amounts of minutiae into
recognizable pods of information, soon to be translated into action items…and
ready to be parsed out to those who could keep pace with her hummingbird-like
drive to - just – get – things - done!
Paradoxically, she still
had the ability to be incredibly and wonderfully creative. And through her art
that she surrounds us with today, we can witness this ability to express herself
with flair and originality.
Mom never really cared
about wealth the way most people do….counting the zero’s on the end of a bank
account. She measured wealth by the quality of the people she surrounded herself
with…and by that measure, she achieved a sum greater than most of us can even
dream.
Mom lived a long life.
Certainly not as long of a life as we had all hoped, but a long, and most
importantly…rich life. One that was filled with travel, exploration and people
whom she loved and treasured. She never seemed to waste even one minute of her
time. Always seeming to find a way to fill her day with activities that MEANT
something…to her…or others that she loved.
And…as anybody that has
spent even 10 minutes with her knows, her greatest source of joy and pride were
her grandkids, all here today to pay homage to their Gram…Queen of the beach
trip…and crab-cake chef extraordinaire.
And so this is where her
legacy lives forever, with these grandkids who have been blessed with her
devoted, loving and generous influence all these years. And so, while Gram’s
unconditional love has been passed on to all of them, her spirit is now in their
very capable hands. And while she would never make such a demand of them, she
would have the expectation, that they will take the example that she has
provided… and spread her seeds of kindness, love and temperance to all
those people they have met…and have yet to meet, throughout the rest of their
lives. 
As for the rest of us, Mom
leaves us to appreciate the simple beauty of the life we have created thus
far…and have yet to live. She would not wish us to pine for her presence, but
instead appreciate those around us, and seek out others that can benefit from
our generosity and thus bring richness to OUR lives, and those we
love.
So, let us all leave this
place, knowing that Mom is smiling down upon us…knowing once more that she has
created yet another opportunity for us to be together, and share in the human
experience that was the essence of her life. God bless mom and god bless you all
for being with us here today.
On Sunday, December 20, 2009, Jacqueline (Jackie) Fitzpatrick, raised
in Chesapeake, VA but a long time resident of Montclair, VA passed
away after a courageous and determined five year battle with Amyloidosis.
Beloved wife of C. Vincent Fitzpatrick for the past 54 years, daughter
of Margaret DeLoatche and the late J.W. DeLoatche Sr. of Chesapeake
VA, sister of J.W. DeLoatche Jr. and his wife Trudy of Virginia Beach,
VA; mother of Teresa Fitzpatrick of Sarasota, FL; Rosemary Suprano
and her husband Joseph of Mt. Lebanon, PA; Andrew Fitzpatrick and
his wife Linda from Mill Valley, CA; and Beth Fitzpatrick Ritt and
her husband Dave from Nederland, CO.
