John P Fitzpatrick

John P. Fitzpatrick, 83, of Summit, NJ passed peacefully on September 28, 2013. Mr. Fitzpatrick known as “Jack,” was the devoted husband of Jean Edwards Fitzpatrick. They were married 55 years and lived in Summit, NJ. John was the proud father of James M. and Anne F. Fitzpatrick of Wilton, CT; Anne T. and Peter L. Getz of Greenwich, CT; John P. Fitzpatrick of Brooklyn, NY; and Peter E. Fitzpatrick of Brooklyn, NY. He is also survived by his adoring grandchildren, John F. Fitzpatrick, Daniel F. Fitzpatrick, Charles Hargrave, Axel Getz, and Isabel Getz. Mr. Fitzpatrick was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1929. He was brought to this country as an infant and settled in Hoboken, NJ, with his parents, the late Patrick Fitzpatrick and Theresa Fitzpatrick. He was predeceased by his brother Peter R. Fitzpatrick and survived by his younger brother, Matthew T. Fitzpatrick. Mr. Fitzpatrick was a graduate of Seton Hall Preparatory School and Seton Hall University. Mr. Fitzpatrick served in the Air Force during the Korean War where he was a clerk and reported on base operations. In those years, he began a life long interest in air navigation; collecting sextons, manuals and maps which he eventually donated to the Air Force museum in Dayton, Ohio. He was a member of the Navigator’s and Observer’s Association. Following his Honorable Discharge in 1954, he worked as a general assignment reporter on daily newspapers including, The Columbus Dispatch, The Asbury Park Press, and the Newark Evening News. In 1956, he joined ITT Laboratories, a division of ITT, in Nutley, NJ as a technical writer and later as editor of the employee news publication. In 1965, he was promoted to ITT World Headquarters in New York as a writer in the public relations department. He went on to become Director of Public Information and Director of Public Relations for North America. Over the years, he served as Corporate Liaison with ITT units in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He retired from ITT in 1985 after 28 years. Mr. Fitzpatrick spent the next several years as Public Relations Vice President for The Storch Corporation in Summit, NJ. Mr. Fitzpatrick was an active volunteer at the Summit Red Cross Chapter, serving on the community relations committee and on the board of directors. He was also a regular contributor to Hoboken History Magazine. He was a member of The University Club of New York and Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit. Mr. Fitzpatrick was an avid reader, gifted storyteller, and world traveler. Most of all, he cherished his family, by whom, he will be greatly missed.