Mary Ann Fitzgerald, Waite Park, 79

March 10, 1935 - August 23, 2014

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 28, 2014 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Joseph for Mary Ann Fitzgerald, age 79 of Waite Park and formerly of St. Joseph who passed away on Saturday, August 23, 2014 at Quiet Oaks Hospice House in St. Augusta. Reverend Jerome Tupa, OSB will officiate. Burial will take place in the parish cemetery.

Family and friends may call from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday and after 9:30 a.m. on Thursday at the St. Joseph’s Parish Center Heritage Hall. Parish prayers will be 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the parish center. Arrangements were by the Daniel Funeral Home, St. Joseph.

Mary Ann was born on March 10, 1935 to the late Joseph and Gertrude (Reinbold) Voeller. She was raised on a family farm in Pierce County, North Dakota. She wed Joseph Leo Fitzgerald at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Balta, North Dakota on June 11, 1956. They dedicated their marriage to the Holy Family. During their loving 58 year marriage they helped each other in every area of their lives. They lived their faith in service to their family and community.

Mary Ann taught elementary school for 16 years and was proud to say she began her career in a one room school house, and was blessed to teach two of her siblings and 2 of her children during those years. In 1970 the family moved to St. Joseph, Minnesota. She worked at the College of St. Benedict for 10 years. In 1980 the Holy Spirit directed Mary Ann to begin her 20 year position as the Executive Director of Birthline (formerly Birthright), a pro-life organization dedicated to helping women in crisis pregnancies. Following her retirement from Birthline she enjoyed her part-time position at Kohl’s, where she was able to keep connected with the community.

Mary Ann and Joseph volunteered and were a part of numerous charitable organizations. Marriage Encounter was one they invested many hours to plan, and then facilitate weekend retreats for married couples in Central Minnesota.

Each person she met felt her genuineness and how much she valued them as a person.

Mary Ann leaves behind her husband, Joseph; their four children, David and Kathy (Dahl) of Becker, Michael and Karen (James) of Downey, California, Joan Marie and Sean Zadoo of St. Cloud, Patrick and Mary (Flueckinger) of Rapid City, South Dakota; 14 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; siblings, Leonard and Sally Ann Voeller, Donald and Sally Voeller, Linda and John Heinrich, John and Shirley Voeller.

In addition to her parents, Mary Ann was preceded in death by grandchildren Jennifer Fitzgerald and Joseph Zadoo.