Wendell Fred Fitzpatrick, “Fitz”, as he was affectionately known, was born on November 26, 1938, in his grandfather’s farmhouse near Hedville, Kansas, the youngest son of William T. and Nellie G. Herndon Fitzpatrick.

Fitz spent his early years in Globe, Arizona, and Twin Mound, Kansas, and began his education in a one-room schoolhouse where one teacher taught grades one through eight. His family moved to Salina, Kansas in 1945, where Fitz spent the remainder of his childhood taking his first job at the local Dairy Queen when he was in elementary school and later graduating from Salina High School in 1957.

After high school, Fitz joined the United States Navy and specialized in Interior Communications. He spent three years on board the U.S.S Des Moines touring the Mediterranean Sea. Upon discharge from the Navy in 1961, Fitz went to the Coyne Trade School in Chicago, Illinois to study electronics. Shortly before leaving for Chicago, Fitz began his courtship with Marlene Louise Johnson and they were later married in Glen Elder, Kansas on August 3, 1963.

Fitz had worked as a messenger boy for Western Union during high school, and after graduating from trade school in 1963 he was re-hired by Western Union and began his career in telecommunications. Fitz continued to work for Western Union until he retired in 1988.

In 1964, Fitz and Marlene moved to Denver, Colorado. Fitz was injured in a motorcycle accident in May of 1967, on the same day that Fitz and Marlene learned that they would soon become parents. They would ultimately settle in Lakewood, Colorado, where they raised three children, Brian, Craig and Amber.

Over the years, Fitz served as the Union Steward and President of the United Telegraph Workers Union in Denver, Colorado. Even after retirement, he continued to be active with the Union and organized the annual summer picnic. Fitz also spent several years volunteering as an excursion aide for the Allied Jewish Apartments. He was also a member of the Golden Church of the Nazarene. He was an avid football fan, sports trivia buff and decades long season ticket holder for the Denver Broncos. He greatest joy came from spending time with his family and taking his children to sporting events.

The story of Fitz’s life would not be complete without mention of an accomplishment in which he took a great deal of pride. In November of 1983, Fitz was “gently persuaded”, over “breakfast” (breakfast being code word for addiction intervention), to enter an addiction treatment center and begin his recovery from alcoholism. He became an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous, serving as the President of the Cottonwood Alumni, helping to establish the Adventures in Sobriety AA group and mentoring patients in the Cottonwood treatment center. With the help of God and the fellowship of AA, Fitz proudly celebrated 31 years of sobriety on November 3, 2014.

Fitz’s life ended early on the morning of March 23, 2015. He was 76 years old.

Fitz is survived by his wife, Marlene; his two sons, Brian and Craig; one daughter, Amber; a brother, Norman Keith; and five grandchildren, David, Seth, Amber, Kendra and Owen.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother William Howard.

A visitation will take place at the Golden Church of the Nazarene at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2015, followed by a funeral service at noon.

Golden Church of the Nazarene
17455 W. 16th Ave.
Golden, CO 80401.

Graveside service to follow at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, 4400 W. Kenyon Ave., Denver, CO 80236.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the following organizations:

The American Heart Association
The American Diabetes Association
The American Kidney Fund