John Fitzgerald, 81, helped Danbury Hospital

John A. Fitzgerald of Ridgefield, who spent 47 years with Merrill Lynch, many of them in philanthropic work, died on Wednesday, Aug. 6, at Danbury Hospital. He was 81 years old and the husband of Vera Mears Fitzgerald.
Mr. Fitzgerald led Merrill Lynch charitable efforts for 12 years and later became vice president of Danbury Hospital’s Development Fund. He and his wife were major contributors to technological improvements at the hospital.
Mr. Fitzgerald was born in Springfield, Mass., a son of James and Helen Sherwood Fitzgerald. He attended Springfield public schools and was studying at American International College there when World War II broke out.
He left school to join the U.S. Army and began as a “Ski Troops” trainee in Colorado. But when an opportunity to attend officer candidate school arose, he wound up at Ft. Benning, Ga., where he was commissioned a lieutenant. Instead of on the mountains of Europe, Mr. Fitzgerald wound up in the Pacific Theatre and was on Okinawa when the atomic bomb was dropped in August 1945. He served with the 25th Infantry Division during the occupation in Japan.
Recalled to active duty in August 1950, he served 17 months during the Korean War, first at Ft. Dix, N.J., teaching basic training, and later becoming a company commander at Camp Drake outside Tokyo
After World War II, Mr. Fitzgerald completed his bachelor’s degree in economics at American International and earned a master’s degree in business administration at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He later studied at New York University Graduate Business School.
Mr. Fitzgerald’s career began as a journalist. He worked for several months as a financial writer for The Philadelphia Bulletin, serving under Financial Editor Joseph Livingston, a nationally syndicated columnist at the time.
In February 1950, he joined the training program at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Beane as an account executive in its New York City sales office. During his career, he held jobs in nearly every area of the company’s business. By 1959, he was assistant to the president.
Mr. Fitzgerald was named vice president and voting stockholder in 1963, became director of sales planning and development in 1966, and was named regional director for the northeastern United States in 1971.
Five years later, Mr. Fitzgerald became director of marketing services, encompassing advertising, new product development, sales promotion, and pricing, after Wall Street gave up fixed commissions and adopted competitive pricing systems. In 1981, he was appointed to the newly created position of vice president for corporate communications, responsible for all external communications, including public (now media) relations, advertising and sales promotion, investor relations, publications, and corporate philanthropy. He served in that role until retiring in 1985.
He was elected to the board of directors for Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith in 1967 and served until 1985. As a member of executive management, he participated in the restructuring of the securities and financing operations that accompanied the company’s growth and diversification program.
>From 1985 to 1997, Mr. Fitzgerald served as president of the Merrill Lynch & Co. Foundation Inc., which focuses on supporting educational programs for underserved children and youth.
“John was beloved throughout the firm, a mentor to many and a true gentleman known for his integrity and honesty,” said Senior Vice President Paul Critchlow, who succeeded him as foundation president. “He led by example, was a trusted adviser to a succession of chairmen and a compassionate, inspiring leader looked up to by all who knew him.”
A resident of Ridgefield since 1971, Mr. Fitzgerald had served on the Danbury Hospital Development Fund Board of Directors since 1999 and was most recently a vice chairman.
“He and his wife Vera were outstanding benefactors to the hospital,” said Gerald D. Robilotti, executive vice president of Danbury Hospital and president of its development fund. “They were particularly interested in oncology and made a gift for the Chemotherapy Infusion Center, which is part of the Praxair Cancer Center. They also recently made a substantial donation to the Department of Radiology, which helped the hospital purchase a state-of-the-art Multidetector CT, which is now operational near the hospital’s emergency/trauma department.
“These gifts,” Mr. Robilotti said, “are two examples of their support of various critical needs for the hospital and have helped the hospital maintain state-of-the-art technology.”
Mr. Fitzgerald had played football, baseball and basketball while in high school and college. After his training with the Army Ski Troops, he became an avid skier. He also enjoyed golf and had been a member of Silver Spring Country Club for many years.
Besides his wife of 56 years, Mr. Fitzgerald is survived by a son, John Jr., and daughter, Barbara, and one granddaughter, Meghan Campbell, all of Portland, Ore.; and a sister, Marie Haggar of the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina.
A sister and two brothers — Eileen, George and James — died before him.
The Rev. Dr. Paul Beavers, director of pastoral care at Danbury Hospital, led services Saturday morning in Fairlawn Cemetery.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Danbury Hospital Development Fund, 24 Hospital Avenue, Danbury, CT 06810.
The Kane Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.