William 'Bill' E. Fitzpatrick

William “Bill” E. Fitzpatrick, age 91, of Lebanon, died Friday, March 16, 2012. He was born June 1, 1921 in Fayette City, PA, to James and Violet Fitzpatrick. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn, Cornwall Manor, his sons James, (wife Diane) Pottsville, PA and Kevin, (wife Mary) Fayetteville, AR, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, his brother Reese (93) and Clyde (87) of western Pennsylvania. After graduating high school in 1939, William worked alongside his father in the coalmines outside of Pittsburgh, PA. He enlisted into the Marine Corps in 1942, received his basic training at Parris Island, SC and New River, NC and was shipped off to the West Coast where as part of the 21st Regiment, 3rd Marine Corp Division landed on Guadalcanal where he remained till the division was moved to Bougainville to participate in the first assault on that island. After that campaign, on July, 1944, the 3rd Marine Division was the first to attack Guam. By the third day, Cpl. William Fitzpatrick sustained a mortar shell wound during the assault on his leg and was evacuated off the island where he would spend the next year recouping at sea, on New Zealand and in San Diego, CA. He was awarded the Purple Heart in 1944 and was discharged in early 1945 out of Mechanicsburg, PA where he met his wife, Evelyn. They recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on December 6, 2011. After marrying and moving to Myerstown, PA, William eventually began working for his father-in-law who was the proprietor of W.E. Bernhard Excavating. He would become the owner of a successful excavating and pipeline construction company and retired in 1978. After retirement, he and Evelyn enjoyed traveling all over the world managing to visit six of the seven continents. They spent many winters with great friends in Hawaii, Arizona, and Florida. During those years Bill was fortunate to play thousands of rounds of golf around the world and as a member of the Lebanon Country Club during retirement. After spending more than 50 years at their address on 30 Berbec Avenue in South Lebanon they moved out to Cornwall Manor where Evelyn still resides. William was involved in his community. He was a member of the Elks, Moose, Masonic Lodge (Mount Olivet #704), Tall Cedars of Lebanon, and a past-president of Lebanon Optimist Club. He was a member of the South Lebanon School Board during the transition of the joining of South Lebanon and Cornwall into the Cedar Crest School District. He stayed active even during his retirement and was a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Lebanon County Vocational Technical School Board Authority. Funeral services will be Tuesday at 11AM from the Levi Zerr Chapel Cornwall Manor 1 Boyd St. Cornwall, PA 17016. Interment will be at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. Viewing will be 10AM to 11AM at the chapel. Contributions can be made to the Levi Zerr Chapel. PDF Printable Version

William 'Bill' E. Fitzpatrick

June 1, 1921 - March 16, 2012