Edward John Fitzgerald

On July 23rd, 2023, Ed Fitzgerald died at home after a two-and-a-half-year battle with ALS. He was 65 years old. 

Ed is survived by his wife Winnie Fitzgerald in Post Falls, his daughters Sarah Fitzgerald (Jacob Lippert), daughter Laura Fitzgerald, granddaughter Olivia Lippert and siblings Kathy Fitzgerald, Dan Fitzgerald (Margo Fitzgerald), Bob Fitzgerald (Angie Fitzgerald), Marianne Fitzgerald, Colleen Fitzgerald (Bill Hayes). Ed was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Geraldine Fitzgerald. 

Ed was born on May 20th, 1958, in Chicago Illinois. He was one of six children. He went to Notre Dame high school with his brothers Dan and Bob. Ed was a proud member of the Cross and Anchor service organization. He always wanted to help people. He would shovel driveways and plant grass for all of the neighbors on his street. He worked delivering newspapers around his local neighborhood as his first job. He was always looking out for everyone around him.  As a young man, he spent a lot of time with his family listening to music and going to bars. He found his favorite band Free Hot Lunch in a Chicago area dive bar.   He followed them around the city and out to Wisconsin to watch their performances with his siblings and friends. 

Ed married Winnie in 1991. They were set up by Ed’s mom and worked together on a trip to Boston, where they took adults with disabilities on a camping trip. Winnie accidentally sent Ed, who was driving the van, down a one-way street going the wrong direction. From that moment on they knew that they were a good team. The trip was a success, once they got back on track. They welcomed Sarah in 1993 and Laura in 1995. Ed loved to go camping, biking, kayaking, rollerblading, and frisbee golfing. You could find him drinking a Jack Daniels and Pepsi on the front porch every Friday after work with his dog by his side. He loved to dance and once took a chair to the dance floor because his date wouldn’t dance with him. He was the life of the party and had the best smile. He was the family’s cookie baker and was famous to all for his wonderful chocolate chip cookies. He was the camp cook whenever he went camping with friends. He never camped without his tripod to use over a wood fire, and he always wore his swim goggles to keep the smoke out of his eyes. His smile is his legacy. His smile was the brightest for his granddaughter Olivia. And she always reflected that smile back at him. 

After moving to Post Falls, he worked at Gonzaga University for 15 years in plant services.  He had a strong work ethic and took pride in everything that he did. At GU he worked almost every home basketball game. He would clean up the stands when the games were over.  He went early so that he could watch both of his girls play Mellophone in the Pep Band. His career at Gonzaga prompted both of his girls to attend and graduate from there. 

He was diagnosed with ALS in January 2021, but he was strong and never stopped smiling. The disease took away his ability to do many things, but it never took away his courage, consideration for others, or his smile. 

A celebration of life for Edward Fitzgerald is scheduled for Saturday, August 19th at 10:00 am at English Funeral Chapel 1700 N. Spokane Street Post Falls ID 83854. In lieu of flowers please send a donation to the ALS Service Organization ALSSO through their website www.alsso.org or via mail to the ALS Service Organization ALSSO P.O. Box 48177 Spokane WA 98228, Or the Gonzaga University Scholarship fund. www.gonzaga.edu.

Inurnment at Evergreen Cemetery in Post Falls, ID.