JObit: Fitzgerald, Donald James (1956)

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/readne/2007/12_28-17/FOR

Donald Fitzgerald

Donald James Fitzgerald, 77, a resident of Bowie for 42 years, died of lung cancer Dec. 25 at Baltimore Washington Medical Center. He had been ill for 12 years.

Mr. Fitzgerald was born Jan. 15, 1930, in Yonkers, N.Y., to the late Garrett E. Fitzgerald and Mary Margaret Fitzgerald. He graduated from Regis High School in 1948 and from Manhattan College in 1956.

He worked in the FBI as a special agent for 28 years, from 1953 to 1981. He was the first agent on the scene at the Watergate break-in and served as a Spanish Linguist during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He completed multiple tours as a linguist in Puerto Rico and served many years as FBI Liaison to Capital Hill. After retirement from the FBI, he worked as an independent consultant for the CIA.

Mr. Fitzgerald served in the Marine Corps from 1948 to 1952, when he was honorably discharged with the Korean Service Ribbon with a star, the United Nations Service Ribbon, and the Good Conduct Medal.

He was a member of St. Pius X Catholic Church for 42 years, where he served as the lecturer for several years. He was also a member of the Bowie Boys and Girls Club for 20 years, where he coached baseball and basketball. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Society of Retired Former Special Agents of the FBI.

He was preceded in death by his wife, who died in 1990, Carole A. Fitzgerald; and three brothers, Garrett, Robert and Joseph Fitzgerald.

Survivors include four sons, Donald W. Fitzgerald of Pasadena, James P. Fitzgerald of West Chester, Pa., Thomas S. Fitzgerald of Crofton, and John B. Fitzgerald of Huntington; two daughters, Carolyn F. Gabelman of Gambrills and Theresa F. Santilli of Centreville, Va.; two sisters, Rita Muller of Florida and Dorothy Benson of New Jersey; and 21 grandchildren.

Family and friends may visit from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Robert E. Evans Funeral Home, 16000 Annapolis Road in Bowie.

A Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 3300 Moreland Place in Bowie.

Interment will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Cheltenham with military honors.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1041 Route 3 N., Gambrills, MD 21054.

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Fitzgerald, Donald James (1956)

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