Illa Geneva Fitzgerald
December 30, 1941 - February 26, 2010

Sunset Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home 6801 E. Business 20 Odessa, TX 79762 Map to Funeral Home Sunset Memorial Funeral Home 6801 E. Business 20 Odessa ,  TX 79762 3/2/2010 from 5-7 PM Map to Funeral Home Funeral Service Sunset Memorial Chapel 6801 E. Business 20 Odessa ,  TX 79762 3/3/2010 at 10:00 AM Map to Funeral Home Hospice House Foundation 903 N. Sam Houston Ave. Odessa, TX 79761 Donate Online Here Ronald McDonald Family Room 500 W. 4th Street Odessa, TX 79760

Illa Geneva Fitzgerald was considered a quiet, thoughtful woman, but family and friends say her legacy rings out loud and in unexpected ways.

Fitzgerald passed away suddenly Friday, February 26 at age 68 at Odessa Medical Center.

Born December 30, 1941 in Coleman, TX to R.C. Eaves and Nina Robbins Eaves, she married her high school sweetheart, James R. Fitzgerald Sr. on July 16, 1960 in Snyder, Texas. The couple moved to Andrews, TX and then later to New Mexico where they raised four children. During the years, James and Illa opened their home to many other children who needed a safe place equipped with plenty of kind and gentle guidance. She was known by those who loved her as “Mema”. Her children remember that, “there was always plenty of love to go around and that we were fortunate to have such a great set of parents to share with others”. Mema’s legacy taught us all to open our hearts and our homes to those in need.

Fitzgerald retired from the New Mexico Magistrate Courts after spending many years as a court clerk. She donated her energy towards her volunteer work with Medical Center Hospital Auxiliary (Pink Ladies) in Odessa. She was a member of the Easter Star and the Moose Lodge #1646 in Truth or Consequences, NM. She was an active member of the Crescent Park Baptist Church in Odessa. Her passion was Bingo and other games of chance.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a granddaughter, Charlotte A. Thomas, and a great granddaughter, Emma M. Fitzgerald.

Survivors include her sister, Fern Stark; children, Nina Xan Simonson and husband Jeff, James R. Fitzgerald Jr. and fiancé Shawna Knox, Gina A. Thomas and husband Paul, Robin L. Esquivel and husband John; grandchildren, James R. Fitzgerald III, Tommy Terrell Randolph, Robert Jay Simonson, David F. Fitzgerald, J.J. Esquivel, Chad T. Simonson, Ashley G. Fitzgerald, Tanith Croy, Alexis Davis, Shelby Simonson, and Daryl Thomas; great grandchildren, Paris N. Fitzgerald, Victoria McGillicudi-Simonson, Leighann R. Fitzgerald, David J. Fitzgerald, Caleb J. McCurrin, Adysen Simonson, Skyler J. Gaona, Lorelei Hester, and Axel Davis; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be directed to Hospice House, 903 N. Sam Houston, Odessa, Texas 79761 or to Ronald McDonald Family Room, 500 W. 4th Street, Odessa, Texas 79760.

Visitation with the family is scheduled for 5-7 PM Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home. Funeral services will follow at 10:00 AM Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home Chapel, with David Pool and Greg Morris officiating.