Edward H. Fitzgerald Jr., 93

Edward Henry Fitzgerald Jr., of Arlington, Massachusetts, passed away Jan. 9, 2024.

Eddie Fitz grew up in Medford, Massachusetts, served as an altar boy, attended Saint Clement Catholic School, and joined the U.S. Navy at age 19. Deployed on the USS Salem, he coached boxers and established and edited the ship’s newspaper. After his service, he worked at Pinkerton Detective Agency and later as a tax examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Born busy, Ed lived his life as an athlete, coach, referee and champion of youth sports. He danced, boxed, played hockey, skied, rode horses and Harleys. A natural teacher, he coached Little league, taught his own kids to ride, ski, hike and camp. He led his young family and raucous cousins on late winter expeditions up the grueling trail to camp and ski the headwall of Mt. Washington.

As an amateur boxer, he was named welterweight champion with a record of 19-1. He beat Paul Pender twice (Pender went on to become the middleweight champion of the world), and “Stormin’ Norman” Hayes, a street-tough prizefighter from Roxbury. An esteemed referee for 50 years, Eddie was known for protecting his athletes: “You can’t call a fight too early but you can call it too late.” At the Golden Gloves in Lowell in 1988, an epic brawl broke out when he called the fight after numerous infractions on both sides — the final straw when DeGrandis swore at him. Instantly, the fight was called, Scully won and all hell broke loose. Ed had to be escorted out for his safety. Ed got a kick out of being cast as an extra in the movie “The Departed,” and as the announcer in “The Fighter.” Look for him 10 minutes in.

As a teen after World War II, he gathered a group of friends at White Horse Beach in Plymouth, Massachusetts, grabbed a nearby dingy and rowed out to the large rock jutting out of the ocean to paint the American flag. The rock became known as Flag Rock. Whenever local fallen heroes came across his radar, he used his sway to create honorary namings, scholarships or permanent memorials. He initiated fundraisers and worked long days on poppy drives to raise money for veterans for many years. Throughout his life, he quietly worked behind the scenes to help others, with a soft spot for the underdog. He was the recipient of many awards and an icon of the sport of boxing. “Eddie Fitz, you don’t owe nuttin’ to nobody," proclaimed a prizefighter who ran into Eddie on the street one day in Boston.

He was a member of Saint Clement’s Hockey Team, National Ski Patrol, Lexington VFW (past commander), Ring 4, Veteran Boxers Association, Somerville Boxing Gym, US Military Vets MC Club, co-founder and past president State Boxing Fund, USS Salem.

Ed passed peacefully at age 93, with his family by his side. He was the son of the late Helen Bradley Fitzgerald and Edward H. Fitzgerald Sr. of Medford. Ed was predeceased by beloved sisters Helen Wedge and Joan Kennedy.

He is survived by wife Mary Lou Shields of Arlington, Massachusetts; former wife Virginia (Lavelli) Fitzgerald Lovett of Meredith, and the late Roberta Carrol of Somerville, Massachusetts; daughter Lisa and husband Scott Robinson DVM of Gilmanton; sons Brad Fitzgerald and Debbie Fitzgerald of Laconia, Ted and Tina Fitzgerald of Northfield, and Scott and Josianne Fitzgerald of Meredith; stepson Christopher and Suzanne Shields of Watertown, Massachusetts; stepdaughter Elizabeth Shields and Russell Geer of Dorchester, Massachusetts; grandchildren Kayla Raphael of Broomfield, Colorado, Hailey Groleau and Kevin of Gilford, Sidney Chmielewski and Chris of Northfield, Michael Fitzgerald of New York, New York, Andreina Fitzgerald of Blacksburg, Virginia, Sierra Rose Geer of Quincy, Massachusetts; and great-grandchildren Waylon Groleau, Theo Groleau and Lincoln Chmielewsky; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A celebration of life will be held at the Lexington VFW, 2 Hayes Road, Lexington, Massachusetts, on Sunday, Jan. 28, from noon to 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to his memorial scholarship fund in Ed’s name, c/o Brad Fitzgerald, 1462 Old N. Main St., Laconia, NH 03246.

Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden, Massachusetts, at the family plot originating in 1905, at a day and time to be announced. A second memorial celebration will take place at White Horse Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, in late spring, in conjunction with Ring 4 Boston.

He’s packing a drawer full of colors to use at will; a rabbit to pull out of his hat, and a hat that says Flag Rock. Indelible wit lies in wait, a warrior’s soul surrounds the knack of conjure, and his trail of friends is 93 years long. He’s riding it out on his candy apple red Harley with a poppy in his teeth, boxing gloves dangling and his trademark “TKO” tag supercharging from the rear; not that he needs a license for anything. Let’s rev up our motors and tenderly escort him to the pearly gates, to rejoice with his beloved family. — Lisa Robinson.