"William "Bill" Fitzgerald, a beloved husband, father, “papa”, brother, uncle, and friend passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 25, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. This is a profound loss and the family is deeply saddened.
Born on October 1, 1955, in Des Moines, Iowa, Bill was the youngest of four children of Robert and Peggy Fitzgerald, joining siblings Mary, Jim, and Mike. His adventurous childhood took him from Des Moines to Deerfield and Philadelphia, where he discovered his first passion for hockey and played avidly throughout high school. The family eventually settled in Conroe, Texas, where he completed his senior year.
In 1974, Bill attended Stephen F. Austin University where fate introduced him to the love of his life, Karen. He thoroughly enjoyed his time in college, graduating (barely, as he often joked) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business.
Bill and Karen married in Houston on June 2, 1979, starting their 46 wonderful years together. While in Houston, their family quickly grew with the arrival of their first daughter, Meghan in 1986, and their second, Jillian in 1989. The family relocated to McKinney, Texas in 1993, where they planted their roots and truly built a beautiful life. Their home and hearts were always full of love, endless laughs, countless animals, treasured memories from family vacations, competitive (but friendly) card games, regular trips to The Londoner (where some great stories were made), and the pure joy of sleepovers with their grandsons.
Bill poured four decades into a sales career at Travelers Insurance before a well-earned retirement. Once that chapter closed, he dedicated himself to golf. He simply loved the game, and even though he rarely broke 100, it still brought him happiness and a true sense of peace.
When Bill wasn't happily swinging a golf club, you could find him playing with his grandchildren, completely lost in a book on the beaches of Galveston, finding a new way to make his wife Karen laugh, devouring a plate of spaghetti, sitting outside to enjoy the quiet of nature, cheering on the Chicago Blackhawks, or getting happily absorbed in a truly ridiculous Sci-fi movie.
Bill's retirement years were unexpectedly interrupted in 2022 when his health declined. Yet, for three years, he met this new challenge with the same tenacity he brought to everything he did. His courageous fight was a testament to his unbreakable spirit, and he has now earned his well-deserved, peaceful rest.
Bill was preceded in death by his father, Robert; his mother, Peggy; and his brother, Jim.
His presence will be deeply missed and forever treasured by his wife, Karen; his devoted daughters, Meghan and Jillian; his sons-in-laws, Jon David and Brian; and his cherished grandchildren, Tyler, Ethan, and Madison. His loss is also felt by his sister, Mary, his brother, Mike, and countless extended family members and friends.
A service to celebrate Bill’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Creekwood United Methodist Church in Allen. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that you consider making a donation to Operation Kindness in Bill’s memory.