W.E. "Bill" Fitzgerald, Jr.

Willis Edward “Bill” Fitzgerald, Jr. died on June 4, 2026. He was born on November 10, 1947, in Mason City to Willis Edward Fitzgerald, Sr. and Agnes (Gasaway) Fitzgerald. Bill was the youngest of five children and the only son. He attended St. Joseph Catholic School and graduated from Newman High School in 1966. He later graduated from NIACC and continued his education at DeVry Institute in Kansas City, Missouri.

Bill married Theresa “Terri” Francis on June 5, 1971, at Holy Family Church in Mason City. Bill and Terri were blessed with two children, Nathan and Molly. Bill loved being “Papa” to his beloved granddaughter AJ and could often be found sharing his recliner – willingly or not – with his adored grandpups: Tyson, Jasmine, Guinness, Harper and Charlie.

The couple lived briefly in Kansas City, where Bill worked in Quality Control for GAF Corporation. In 1972, they returned to Mason City, and Bill joined Northwestern States Portland Cement Company, working in the electrical shop. In 1981, Bill and his family moved to Cedar Falls, where he worked in maintenance at Sartori Hospital before being hired by the University of Northern Iowa. At UNI, Bill served as a Systems Control Technician in Physical Services.

Bill had an endearing and often silly sense of humor that made him instantly likable. He loved working with his hands and had a natural talent for building and fixing. Bill created treasured woodworking pieces for his loved ones, and as a devoted Chevy enthusiast, he spent his youth wrenching on classic Chevrolets and Corvettes. A trained electrician, Bill was always willing to lend a hand. At home, he tackled construction projects, plumbing repairs, patios, decks, remodels, and of course electrical work - his expertise and eagerness to help were constants throughout his life.

He was a lifelong Minnesota Twins and Vikings fan. Bill was active for many years, playing baseball, softball, bowling, and golf, and he was proud to coach youth sports. He cherished fishing trips to Minnesota with longtime friends. Bill and Terri loved traveling together and with their children, often to sunny destinations. In recent years, he found pleasure working on puzzles, often joined by family and caregivers.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Terri Fitzgerald; son, Nathan (Jen) Fitzgerald; daughter, Molly (Eric) Adams; granddaughter, AJ; sister, Joan Behr; special aunt, Barb Gasaway; brothers-in-law, Tom Francis and Tim (Diane) Francis; sister-in-law, RoseMary Vaske; and numerous nieces, nephews and godchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Sue Dodge, Nicki French and Meg Heinrichs; niece, Tammy Portis; father- and mother-in-law, Virgil and Darlene Francis; and brothers-in-law, Ray French, Robert Haywood, and Maury Heinrichs.

A special thank you to the angels at UnityPoint Hospice, the staff at Grundy County Memorial Hospital Med/Surg unit, and Jessica, his frequent caretaker and friend, for their amazing care.

A celebration of Bill's life will be held at 2pm, Saturday, June 13, 2026, with visitation an hour prior at the Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home in Cedar Falls. Please join the family for a reception immediately following at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please direct memorial contributions in Bill's memory to UnityPoint Hospice of Waterloo.

Please visit www.dahlfuneralhome.com to share condolences with the family.