Thomas Edwin “Tom” Fitzgerald

Thomas Edwin “Tom” Fitzgerald died peacefully surrounded by his children on November 5, 2019 at his home in Elkins Park.

Mr. Fitzgerald was born on July 10, 1935 in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn to Thomas Edward Fitzgerald and Margaret Weyman. He worked from a young age to take care of his mother, sisters and brothers after his father died suddenly. He served proudly in the United States Army in Eastern Europe at the height of the Cold War and after surviving a devastating jeep accident, came home to receive an education in engineering and commercial art.

He married Margaret “Peg” Tormey in 1962. Eventually they settled in the Philadelphia area and raised six children together as he rose through the ranks from building janitor to Vice-President of American Building Maintenance and many other large real estate corporations during his career. Over four decades, he managed a massive portfolio of some of the most iconic and recognized buildings on the Philadelphia skyline. He was also an accomplished and prolific artist whose oil paintings, watercolors and multimedia pieces have hung in galleries and art shows and continue to be displayed in schools, churches and places of business in the Philadelphia area. In addition, he was a world traveler who returned to his beloved Ireland many times, and one of the world’s leading experts on antique typewriters and office machines.

Mr. Fitzgerald is survived by his children and sonsin-law, Christine and Steve Mackel of Abington, Maggie and Patrick Mohnacs of Marlton, New Jersey, Thomas Fitzgerald Jr. and Sormane Gomes of Philadelphia, Paul Fitzgerald and Sean Curry of Philadelphia, Mary Fitzgerald Houston and John Houston of Springfield, and Nora Fitzgerald and Eric Smith of Elkins Park. In addition, he is survived by his eleven grandchildren, Allison, Kathryn, Grace and Rachel Mackel, Patrick, Olivia and Brendan Mohnacs, Kevin and Conor Houston, and Charlotte and Rose Smith, as well as his sisters Margaret Jones and Edna Scher.

A viewing will take place at 9:30 AM on Monday, November 11 at St. Bernadette of Lourdes Church, 1035 Turner Avenue, Drexel Hill, to be followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM. Interment will be at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Springfield. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Mr. Fitzgerald’s life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (https://www.mda.org/make-a-donation).

Arrangements by The Donohue Funeral Home, 8401 West Chester Pike, Upper Darby, PA (610) 4490300. Online condolences www.donohuefuneralhome.com