Joan Marie Held Fitzgerald, 81, of Fair Haven, passed away July 15, 2023, surround by her greatest treasure, her family.
Joan’s energetic personality, interest in others, and passion for living left a mark on all who met her; she leaves a legacy of love and friendship to all who had the privilege of knowing her.
She was born July 22, 1941, in Dayton, Ohio, to Mary and Clayton Held. She grew up in Middletown and attended St. James and Red Bank Catholic High School. After graduating from Georgian Court College she pursued her teaching career at various Catholic schools around New Jersey before finding a home at Knollwood School in Fair Haven where she taught for 28 years. Teaching middle school English was her calling; she was endlessly innovative, always striving to find creative ways to engage and connect with each child. Her passion for learning lives on in the students she loved teaching.
The greatest joy in Joan’s life was her family. In 1974 she married the love of her life James Fitzgerald Jr. They were blessed with three children and eight grandchildren. Joan delighted in being endlessly involved in all their lives. While they resided in Fair Haven, they summered at their beloved camp in Belgrade Lakes, Maine, where Joan spent each summer surrounded by the beauty of nature and family.
She is survived by her family: husband James F. Fitzgerald Jr.; children Jamie Fitzgerald and his wife Beth, Meghan Dobish and her husband Matt, and Katie Foley and her husband Ryan; and her adoring grandchildren who were the light of her life, Charlotte, Diana, Hannah, Lilabelle, Ned, James, Hadley and Liam. Also surviving are siblings, Greg and Jeri Held of Red Bank, Alan Held of Wilmington, North Carolina, and Rita Held and Lou Cartelano of Los Altos, California; as well as many nieces and nephews she held dear.
A celebration of her life was held Aug. 30 at Nativity Church in Fair Haven.
This article originally appeared in the August 31 – September 6, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
