Julie M. Fitzgerald,
Essex Junction, Vermont
61,

Best known for her mellifluous voice, radiant smile, and piercing disarming intelligence Essex Junction’s Julia (Julie) Marie Fitzgerald died Monday, April 18 after a long illness. A Catholic Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, May 5th at 5pm in the Chapel at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH.

Born in 1954 in Burlington’s Bishop Degoesbriand Unit of UVM Medical Center, Julie, a 1972 top 3% class graduate of Essex Junction High School and a 1976 graduate of Saint Michael’s College and worked for the University of Vermont Medical Center. Julie, once a certified educator, spoke Latin, Italian, French, Spanish.

She is survived by her husband, Mark Renkert, his brother William, and sister Laureen, mother-in-law, Geraldine Renkert and indirect family member Elaine & Jim Tilley. Julie predeceased by parents Margaret Linnington and Joseph Fitzgerald who were great friends with Burlington’s Bove family. Julie’s parents from Philadelphia and a father who was USAF Airman, and a decorated agent with US Customs & Immigration, Julie’s only known remaining direct family member is Tracy Fitzgerald Clark, now of Springfield, VA.

Julie, born under the zodiacal sign of Leo, was a people-magnet with legions of loving friends to include Louise Gretchen Woods Wall, Miriah Wall, Jacob and Caroline Wall, Jane Yagoda, Renee Robyor, Carol Ellen Blair, Russell and Susan Agne, Edward Sourdiff, Royce and Marlene Irwin, John Workman, Maurice Kinney, Christopher Halpin, the late Frank Petrosino, Brian Valentine, Brian Yorke, Alan Hebert, Eileen Sweet, Lou-Ann Pat Lamphere, Linda and Bill Thompson, Marcia Derosia, Moneer and Joe Greenbaum, Tom Little, Joe Heald, Ilene Wright, Kathi Sullivan, David Pouteaux, Nan Patrick, Police Chief John Terry, Dawn McGinnis, Linda and Bill Thompson, Peter and Mary Kate Rowan, James Henry, Bern and Freida Scarpa.

A devout Catholic, even in illness, Julie evangelized her faith at the Fanny Allen Chapel with Sister Marion Chaloux of Religious Hospitaller of St. Joseph at the Fanny Allen Convent. Her Catholic faith spiritual guide, Father John (Ajase) Nwagbaraocha serves a leading role with Catholic Services at the renowned Darthmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. Father John (Ajase) will perform Julie’s Funeral Services.

Julie worked for the town of Essex Junction as a Police Dispatcher under Police Chief John Terry where she developed and became an expert in “True Crime” authors and literature. Julie was a life-long journal keeper and wrote volumes of coming-of-age stories in journals referencing societal development and evolution of Essex Junction.

She was an avid Animal Rights Advocate with a natural magnetism especially toward dogs and was known to have many with her favorite first “Hawkeye” named after a television series character Dr. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce.

With scholarship excellence Julie was inducted into the Daughters of the American Revolution, she served as an Educational Officer with Toastmasters International, and functioned as Chair of the Ethan Allen Club’s Membership Division, spousal member of Kiwanis and Rotary.

Julie enjoyed travel and frequently travelled to Mexico. And she was a long time friend of Neil Tillotson, the original founder of “The Balsams” (https://thebalsamsresort.com/vision/) in Dixville Notch where she and her husband married.

Julie worked for the Genetic’s Center at the UVM Medical Center under research-leader Dr. Alan Guttmacher. Before that she worked as a Clinical Coordinator under Dr. Paul Danielson at Oral Surgery Associates in South Burlington.

As a legacy Julie inspired the creation of SMARTvt.org which resulted in the re-employment of thousands of displaced workers in the 2008 economic collapse and whose work continues to today.

The family is grateful for the heroic care provided by the entire staff of the Green Mountain Nursing Home – from Family Services to the Kitchen to Nursing to Patient Advocacy to Comfort Care. “It would be hard to imagine a more dedicated, professional, compassionate level of Family Partnership that GMNH provides --- exceeding expectations and improving the lives of patients and their families every day. Anyone seeking to make a donation for Patients-in-Need at GMNH is invited to contact them by clicking (http://www.dlp.vermont.gov/nursing-list/green )