March 30, 1932-May 31, 2005
“He had white hair and a white beard separated by
smiling blue eyes that looked as though he had seen
it all and decided that it was O.K. anyway.”
–Michael Caine
Former South Point Mayor dies at 73
SOUTH POINT – William Lee Fitzpatrick served the Village of South Point as mayor for more than 13 years – but those who knew him emphasize that the man served the community for his entire life.
Fitzpatrick, 73, died Tuesday after an extended battle with lung cancer. The local contractor who owned and operated Fitzpatrick Custom Homes for more than 30 years before retiring in 2000, lived his entire life in South Point, an area he loved immensely.
“He loved the people of South Point and truly enjoyed being mayor,” said his son, Charles David Fitzpatrick. “He was just a helper to anyone in need in the community.”
The elder Fitzpatrick, a retiree from Allied Chemical, served as the village’s mayor from 1962 to 1975, overseeing a variety of projects including adding the swimming pool and the sewer system expansion project. Fitzpatrick was honored in the 1974 edition of Who’s Who in Ohio.
But to Joy Lester, his girlfriend for the past 15 years, the man was more than just a dedicated public servant – he was a friend, a partner and a family man.
“He was the love of my life. He was so good to my children,” Lester said. “He was just always there. Apparently, he was just always there for a lot of people.” –Michael Caldwell, The Ironton Tribune, Thursday, June 2nd, 2005
