Mary Jean Fitzgerald

Mary Jean Fitzgerald (nee Wallenhorst) - With profound sadness and enduring gratitude for a life beautifully lived, we announce the passing of Mary Jean “Jean” Fitzgerald on June 30, 2026.

Jean will be remembered for her unwavering faith, quiet strength, gentle spirit, and the grace with which she lived each day. She possessed a warm smile that made others feel welcome, a humble heart, and a selfless nature that consistently placed the needs of others before her own.

At the center of her life was her faith, which shaped every relationship and every decision.

Alongside her beloved, late husband, Tony, who preceded her in death on June 29, 2023, she built a life rooted in love, hospitality and service. Together they sought every opportunity to care for others, opening both their hearts and their home. Their dinner table was often a place where family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers were welcomed with a warm meal, lively conversation, heartfelt laughter, and meaningful reflection.

A lifelong servant of the Church, Jean devoted her career to ministry in many capacities, including many years of faithful service as a Pastoral Associate at St. Anselm Parish in Chesterland, Ohio. Her faith was not simply something she believed, it was something she lived every day. In recent years, she also served on the board of Joseph House in Cleveland, where she helped welcome and support refugee families. She had a remarkable gift for seeing the dignity in every person she encountered and quietly ensuring they felt seen, capable, valued, and loved.

Her love of learning reflected her lifelong devotion to God. In her sixties, she fulfilled a long-held dream by earning her master’s degree in theology, a milestone that embodied her enduring curiosity and her desire to deepen both her understanding and her service.

Above all, Jean treasured her family. She was a devoted mother, a loving grandmother, a cherished sister, and a loyal friend. She is survived by her four children, Matthew, Mary “Molly” Libs (Rob), Annie (d. 1982), Therese “Tria” DeNinno, and Catherine “Katie” Fitzgerald (Craig Smith), her beloved grandchildren Annie, Marina, John, Lura, Ryan, Patrick, Sean, Tate and Caia, her five siblings Bill, Terry, Paul, Ann and Laurie, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and dear friends who will forever cherish her memory. She was preceded in death by her husband, William A. (Tony) Fitzgerald, her daughter, Anne Maura, her parents William F. Wallenhorst (d. 1999) and Irene Wallenhorst (nee Dzuban, d. 2014).

Though our hearts are broken, we find comfort in the promise of the Resurrection and in knowing she is now at peace in the loving presence of the Lord she served so faithfully throughout her life. Her legacy of grace, humility, kindness, and selfless service will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know her.

A mass of Christian burial will be held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 10:00 am at St. Albert the Great Church, 6667 Wallings Road, North Royalton. Please meet at church.

Visitation will be held on Monday, July 6 from 4-6 pm at DONALD A. FAULHABER FUNERAL HOME, 7915 Broadview Road (at Sprague) Broadview Heights., followed by a funeral Mass celebrating her life on Tuesday, July 7 at 10:00 am at St.Albert the Great Church, 6667 Wallings Road, North Royalton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Joseph House of Cleveland, 6413 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, 44103 - https://josephhouseofcleveland.org/contact-us/ continuing the spirit of faith and service that so beautifully defined her life.