We Remember
FITZPATRICK, Hugh Duggan
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Passed away at Kelowna General Hospital with family by his side on Friday, January 30, 2015 at the age of 84. Pre-deceased by his wife of 58 years Jacqui and his sisters Marie Green of Kelowna and Glenda Doran of Powel River, survived by his sister Kay Sladen of Lake Country, daughter Sheilagh Fitzpatrick of Kelowna, son Dock (Cathy) Fitzpatrick of Kelowna, daughter Shaune (Terry) Stewart of Lake Country; grandchildren: Jordan (AJ) Wilson, Cecily Wilson, Ariane Wilson, Jonathan (Andi) Fitzpatrick, Taeya (Adrian) Boruta, Kaeli Fitzpatrick, Britney Stewart, Katelyn Stewart, Amanda (Mike) Morley; great grandchildren: Jakob and Zakary Wilson; and numerous nieces, nephews and his extended family. Hugh was born in Kelowna, BC on November 26, 1930. Hugh grew up in Rutland, attending elementary school and high school in Rutland and Grade 13 at Kelowna Secondary High School. Hugh was a Rutland native, only leaving to attend the University of British Columbia. Hugh returned to Rutland where he started a confectionary delivery business delivering supplies to convenience stores throughout the Okanagan Valley. Hugh met his soulmate Jacqui while staying in Penticton on his delivery route. They eventually married and lived the rest of their lives in Rutland and Kelowna. Hugh was a community minded man driven to helping those around him and passionate about the opportunities available in the Okanagan. Never one to sit still, Hugh was actively engaged in many public activities. He taught Sunday school at the Rutland United Church; was an active Gyro Club member for 60 years; volunteered for the Rutland May Days; coached Rutland Juvenile Soccer; volunteered as Scout Leader for the Rutland Boy Scouts; and organized the sponsorship for local figure skaters. Hugh also donated his time to many initiatives including, designing and building the Rutland Centennial Hall; designing and building the Gyro Park beach washrooms; serving ten years as Chairman of the Kelowna General Hospital; serving as director of the Kelowna YMCA; and serving as director of the Kelowna riding for the BC Social Credit party. Hugh owned and operated a building construction and design company, building many homes in Kelowna, the infrastructure buildings for the startup of Big White, and the first accommodation buildings on Big White, to name a few. Upon the death of his father in 1968, Hugh assumed the management of the McLean and Fitzpatrick fruit packing operation until 1986 when the fruit packing was discontinued. Hugh purchased the Mac & Fitz property in 1986 and converted the business into a warehouse business, still storing fruit but also storing seedling trees and SunRype juice. Hugh grew the business to include a civil construction division, contaminated soil transportation division, property management division, and a long haul transportation division operating from Vancouver to Toronto. Hugh loved his work, attending the office up to the day before he entered the hospital on December 29. Hugh touched many lives and he is sorely missed. The world was a better place with him than it is now without him. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 1:00 PM at Springfield Funeral Home, 2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC with Pastor Ed Weiss officiating. Should family and friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation, 2268 Pandosy Street, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 1T2. If you wish to send a condolence, post photos or share a memory, please scroll down the page to the area called “Share Your Condolences.”
Please note the service times is 1:00 pm PST
Service
Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 1:00 PM
Location
Springfield Funeral Home
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Service Information
Service Details
The service for FITZPATRICK, Hugh Duggan is scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 1:00 PM . Below you will find the map for the service location and the contact information should you have any questions.
Sheilagh, Doc, Shaune and your families… I am so sorry to read of your Dad’s passing. Your Dad gave me my first job and that was drafting for him and working as a shipper for a time at Mac & Fitz. I also remember driving John Deere tractors in the Regatta parade for him (A very long time ago)!! Great guy and good to work for. He contributed so much to our community and beyond. Our most sincere condolences, Phil & Wendy Olinger
Our condolences to the family. Hugh and Jacqui were always a breath of fresh air when they were in for dinner. From; Meghan, Bart and all the staff at Boomers
Sheilagh and Shaune and family, so sorry to hear about your Dad. I was glad to have known him he was such a nice man.
Your Dad was indeed a wonderful man. It was an honour to have known him. Your parents were great friends and neighbours to us during the time we all lived at Somerville Corner. Our condolences, Jim and Susan Mitchell
Our thoughts and condolences Shaune to you and your family
xo
Hugh will be missed.He had great vision for this city.we have know all of our lives and proud of the people he knew.
our prayers and thoughts are with you
Domenic and Lina Rampone
Doc and family,
Our thoughts are with you at this time,
Sincerely,
Ted and Cheryl Turton
To the Fitzpatrick Family,
Sincere condolences to all the family on the sad passing of your dad.
Mike/Audrey Kelly
My condolences to the Fitzpatrick family. Worked with Hugh on lots of events and both him and Jacqui were such nice people and so much fun to work with.
Our condolence, your Dad and Mom always made us feel like we were part of your family. We have been thinking about all of you at this time.
Sheilagh, Dock and family,
Hugh was great fellow, a favourite client and I am so pleased to have known and visited with him over the years. My sincere sympathy for your loss.
So sorry to hear that your dad has passed away Sheilagh, prayers and hugs to you and your family. I only met your dad a few times but he was a very warm and kind person
Sheilagh
Sorry to hear of the death of your father. My sincere condolences.
February 19, 2015
Hi Sheilagh and Doc;
I am so sorry to learn of your Dad’s passing today. I am currently in Calgary and regret that I will not be able to make it back to Kelowna in time for the service.
Hugh was a wonderful human being. He was a mentor to me was always encouraging me to strive for the best result in whatever I found myself involved in.
I first met Hugh when he encouraged me to run as an MLA for the Kelowna Social Credit party in 1996. Over the years I would look forward to meeting with Hugh for lunch where we would solve all the worlds problems.
We needed to be somewhat judicial with the number of times we met for lunch as the worlds problems often took more time than was usually allotted for a regular lunch period.
By the end of our lunches we were always satisfied with the result and confident we could leave the world to implement our well thought out plans. Now that I think about it, it likely would have helped if we actually shared our brilliant insights with people that could have assisted us with our schemes.
I will miss Hugh very much. If Kelowna had an icon, it would look very much like Hugh. Hugh was the embodiment of everything that was good about the City of Kelowna and our great Province of British Columbia. God Speed my good friend.
George Lensen
Kelowna
Shuane, Sheilagh, Dock & families
Rosie and I won’t be with you today. Unfortunately we are away on holidays. We just want you to know we are thinking of your Dad & Mom. They were very special people.
I met your Dad 45 years ago when we had just moved to Kelowna. He was a customer then and over the years we did a lot of business together and a lot of fun things too ie. fishing, hockey games and lots of dinners with both your Mom and Dad. We became very good friends and it was Hugh who invited Rosie and I into Gyro way back in 1971. And of course we did a lot of fun things in Gyro together.
Rosie and I want to let you and your family know we are thinking of you all and we wish we could be there today to say our goodbye’s.
Mike & Rosie
Dear Sheilagh, Dock and Shaune,
We are so sorry to hear of your father’s passing. We were away at the time. Both of your parents were very special to us. As well as being an important part of the early days at Big White, your father designed our new kitchen at the ranch. Over the years, we had many compliments about it.
Your family will always hold a special place in our hearts.
We send our love and sympathies.
Doug and Marie