James L. FitzGerald, Jr. M.D.

June 20, 1939 - February 16, 2025

Born in Albany NY, Jim attended the Albany Boys Academy where he began his love of playing
hockey. As a scholar of Hamilton College, Harvard University and University of Rochester, he
completed his medical degree in ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania. During the
Vietnam war, he was stationed with the U. S. Air Force in Anchorage, AK as the supervising
flight surgeon.

Jim returned to New England where he started his own medical practice in Bennington, VT
while raising his family in the colonial town of Williamstown, MA. With the beautiful
Berkshire mountains as his backdrop, he lived the life of a gentleman farmer, tending to his
land, raising animals, chopping wood, and sapping Maple trees for syrup. He explored the
outdoors by cross country skiing, camping, hiking, sailing and kayaking. He loved stoking his
wood burning stove, singing at the top of his lungs, speeding in his Subaru Brat and reading
endless books about optics.

A true renaissance man, he completed a law degree, became a licensed real estate broker,
designed houses, dominated the tennis court, taught college lecture series, sang in choirs, and
played the bass in several symphony orchestras. He published three books, authored weekly
articles for the local paper, and enjoyed searching secondhand bookstores for rare literary gems
to add to his coveted personal library.

Upon retirement, he moved southwest to Green Valley, Arizona with his wife where he taught
surgical procedures at the University of Arizona and transitioned to leisure activities like
pickleball, sculpting, painting, singing and playing the bass in a traveling band. At 6’3” with
kind blue eyes and a charming sarcastic wit, Jim had a charismatic personality that made people
feel at ease around him.

Jim passed away surrounded by family in Nashville, TN. He is survived by his wife Catharine
Fairbanks, his first wife Judith FitzGerald, his two daughters Elizabeth FitzGerald and
Margaret Heithcock, and his two grandchildren Quinn and Skyler Heithcock. He was
preceded by his parents James and Agnes FitzGerald, and his sister Patricia Mandell. Jims ashes
will be spread by his family.