Mabel Virginia Fitzpatrick

Mabel was born on Nov. 5, 1906, in Boston into a large and very Irish family. Her parents were William A. and Gertrude E. (Jones) Kelly. Their home was always awash in good times, good friends and wonderful celebrations of every holiday. She was named after her great aunt Mabel, who died in childhood at age 5.

After completing high school, she also completed secretarial school and worked for the telephone company. During a vacation with her cousin to Valatie, N.Y., she met and soon after married John H. "Jack" Fitzpatrick in November 1933. They made their home in Valatie while Jack worked as a plasterer and later as a chemical operator.

In 1948, they moved to Riverdale, Md. Soon thereafter, Mabel resumed her career, first with the Veterans Administration and then as a secretary/bookkeeper with the Union Commercial Insurance Agency of Cottage City, Md., until her retirement in 1976.

In 1978, Jack and Mabel moved to Largo, Fla., where she remained until coming to Montana in 2004.

Mabel always was exploring new things to craft with her hands. She seemed to be involved with knitting or crocheting things throughout her life. During World War II, she knitted gloves and sweaters for our American soldiers, canned all of her family's fruits and vegetables, made soap, rugs and socks. She was a lifelong fan of the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Redskins and never missed listening to or watching a game whenever she could do so.

Eventually her eyesight failed, and she was unable to continue doing those things she loved so much. But her greatest love was her family. She never tired of hearing from and about them.

Mabel was a lifelong member of the Roman Catholic Church and attended Mass at every opportunity.

Jack preceded her in death in 1988. She was also preceded by her parents; her brothers, Bill and Tom; and her sisters, Gertrude, Catherine and Mary.

Survivors include two sons, Jack of Stevensville and Bill of Melbourne, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; many nephews and nieces; as well as a brother, Harry of Brighton, Mass.; and her sister, Rita Donovan of Dedham, Mass.

Following funeral services at St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church in Largo, Fla., Mabel will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband Jack at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pinellas Park, Fla.