Obituary of Janet Claire Fitzgerald

Janet Claire Glaser Fitzgerald passed away Thursday, June 9, 2011 in Lake Ozark, Missouri. Janet was born November 22, 1932 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was graduated from the Ursline Academy in Cincinnati and later married John (Jack) Fitzgerald in 1952. As a young woman, Janet gave up her pursuit of a Journalism degree to support her husband�s education and then their quickly growing family. Nonetheless, she wrote articles for various newspapers and journals through the years and continued to write exceptional poetry. Janet moved to St. Louis, Missouri as a young bride with her husband, Jack, and their first child, Rita, where they put down roots and began the process of raising a large family. Janet then went back to school and earned her degree in nursing, launching a lifetime career of caring for other people�s loved ones as if they were family. She worked as a Nurse for many years, becoming an expert in Critical Care and Post-Surgery. Her best care was reserved for her family, though �whom she referred to as her �olive plants� (Psalm 128); her ripples in life. Later, Janet earned her education certification, which allowed her to �home school� seven of the children while traveling Europe for 5 months in 1984, sharing her fascination with the world and her love of the people who inhabit it. She traveled extensively, teaching English in a newly freed Poland, climbing the mountain to Machu Pichu, walking on the Great Wall of China, visiting her beloved sister in Uganda (and later organizing an annual event to support the work of the Buseesa Mission) to name just a few of her many adventures around the world. Janet�s influence was not limited to biological family members, but extended to many friends an her faith family. After moving to Lake Ozark, Missouri in 1991, she became involved in her church and her community. She was a member of the Lake Writer�s Guild and served as a Eucharist Minister and Lecturer at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church for many years. Janet was preceded in death by her husband, John Francis Fitzgerald, and three daughters, Rita Marie Fitzgerald, Martha Gail Fitzgerald Cook and Eileen Elizabeth Fitzgerald Villeda, as well as two sons-in-law, Jerry Bartlett and Larry Jennings. Janet is survived by her siblings, Robert Glaser, Gail Glaser Nordeman, Sr., Mary Delrita Glaser, and Nancy Glaser Mueller; her children and their families, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Patty (Fitzgerald) Bartlett, Maureen (Fitzgerald) and Bob LeRoy, Peggy (Fitzgerald) Raymond, Pauline (Fitzgerald) and Bruce Bowermaster, Mary Fitzgerald, Frank and Laurie Fitzgerald, Rose (Fitzgerald) Jennings, Luis Villeda, John and Hollie Fitzgerald, and Janet (Fitzgerald) and Mark Vannatter; grandchildren and their families, Jack Barlett, Eddie Bartlett, Jason and Callie LeRoy, Joshua and Brandee LeRoy, Jack LeRoy, James and Angela LeRoy, Joe and Sarah LeRoy, Elizabeth LeRoy, Jeffrey LeRoy, Victoria Raymond, Catherine (Raymond) and Jeremy Kelman, Andrea Raymond, Jessica Bowermaster, Wade Bowermaster, Rebicca Bowermaster, Emily Bowermaster, Brian Fitzgerald, Kaite (Kathleen) Fitzgerald, Meagan Fitzgerald, Sean Fitzgerald, Moira Jennings, Rita Villeda, William Fitzgerald, Abbi (Abbigayle) Vannatter, and Victor Vannatter; great-grandchildren, Ben LeRoy, Kenna LeRoy, Sydney LeRoy, Henry LeRoy, and Alexis Bowermaster.