Thelma Ruth (Cricket) Fitzgerald was born December 24, 1938 at
Irondale, Missouri and departed this life on November 30, 2020
at 1:40 AM at Mercy Hospital in Festus, Missouri at the age of 81
years. She was the daughter of the late Clarence and Beulah
Marler of Irondale, one of eleven children.
Cricket was married in 1956 and to this union was added Wilbur
Ivis (Connie) Leach of Fredericktown and Carol (Eugene) Sohn of
Columbia, as well as grandchildren Jeremy Leach of St. Louis,
Brandon (Kary) Leach of Fredericktown, Alex Leach of Festus,
Emmanuel Sohn (deceased) and Keith (Amanda) Sohn of
Columbia, and seven great grandchildren, Brynn, Brae, Brittyn,
Blake, McKenzee, Remi and Allison.
On May 24, 1968, Cricket was remarried to Bill Fitzgerald
(deceased). With this union, two families became one, including
three sons, James (deceased), Mike (Debbie) of Farmington and
Pat (LaDonna) of Imboden, and three daughters, Sandy
(deceased), Debbie (Larry) Lambert of Imboden and Penny
(Roger, deceased) Boyer of Imboden, as well as eleven
grandchildren, Jeannie Ann (deceased), Billy, Greg, Chris, Adam,
Jason, Josh, Matthew, Kassy, James and Tracey, nineteen great
grandchildren, and three great great grandchildren.
Cricket was a member of Meadow Heights Church of
Fredericktown. She enjoyed life, always giving back to those
around her. She had a very generous heart for anyone in need,
she loved her church and served as a children's Sunday School
teacher for more than thirty years. She also loved large family
gatherings with a lot of food, and playing cards.
Cricket never met a stranger and loved whomever she met. She
was always serving in the background but she was the one
everyone knew and loved, becoming "Grandma Cricket" to those
around her. Grandma Cricket will definitely be missed by all who
knew her.