Katherine Fitzgerald

Katherine Harris Fitzgerald, "Cappy", 96, passed away peacefully on December 23, 2014 after battling dementia for several years. She was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Leonard Kennedy Fitzgerald, known as "Dinks." Cappy was born in Danville, Virginia on September 17, 1918, the second of four daughters born to Katherine and Malcolm Harris. She attended Stratford College. In 1942, she married Dinks Fitzgerald, whom she adored from the time she met him when she was 13 years old. His career in the textile industry took Cappy and Dinks to Greensboro, NC in the early 1950s where Cappy became the North Carolina Ladies Skeet Shooting Champion. They later moved to Spartanburg, SC, when Dinks joined Deering Milliken (now Milliken and Company) where they reared their two children, Susan (Susie) Fitzgerald Carter and Leonard Kennedy (Kenny) Fitzgerald, Jr. Cappy was an involved member of the Church of the Advent, several book clubs and played duplicate bridge. She and Dinks were active at the Spartanburg Gun Club, shooting skeet. They also spent many happy hours on their sport fisherman in Georgetown, SC, chasing bill fish. A woman ahead of her time, Cappy was also a licensed pilot! After Dinks' death, Cappy moved to Winston-Salem, NC in 1992 to be nearer family. There she built an active life around friends, bridge and her family, much of which was still in Danville. Then, in 2006, Cappy moved to Atlanta, GA, again to be near family. Cappy and Dinks loved the outdoor life, especially deep sea game fishing. They were pioneers in exploring the Gulfstream waters off South Carolina, which is now known as "the Georgetown Hole" area. Cappy caught the first blue marlin ever rec-orded off the coast of South Carolina in June of 1964. Cappy had a devilish sense of humor that endeared her to family and friends. She loved her standard poodles, all of which fished and hunted with her. After Dinks' death, Cappy's adventurous spirit took her and her beloved sister, Lily (Bitsy) Har-ris Keeling around the world, from the Far East to Ireland and Scotland. Survivors include Cappy's daughter Susan Fitzgerald Carter of Charleston, SC, and her husband John B. Carter, Jr.; son, Leonard Kennedy Fitzgerald, Jr. of Columbia, SC and his wife Macie Young Fitzgerald. Cappy has four grandchildren Katherine Fitz-gerald Evans and her husband Alexander Wier Evans of San Jose, CA; Elizabeth Sommers Dahl of Los Angeles, CA; Leonard Kennedy Fitzgerald III and Lisa Collins Fitzgerald, both of Charleston, SC and their mother, Susan Bailey Fitzgerald of Spartanburg, SC. She has one great grandson, Malcolm Alexander Evans. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 3 at 2:00 pm at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, 781 Main Street, Danville, VA. The family will receive friends at the Church immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Episcopal Church of the Epiphany. Townes Funeral Home and Crematory, 215 West Main Street is serving the Fitzgerald family.