Charlotte Kersey Fitzgerald

Charlotte Kersey Fitzgerald born in Washington, DC on May 11, 1937, breathed her last breath on July 2, 2025, and entered her eternal rest. She will be most greatly remembered for her long-standing commitment with excellence and dedication to the causes and people she loved. For those who knew her well, she was a jack-of-all-trades who could make it, bake it, grow it, can it, sew it, and fix it with boundless intellect and skill.

Charlotte began her life on her family farm in Dublin, GA. She graduated from Dudley High School in 1954, furthering her education at Tift College in Math and Science. She received her Master’s in Math from Mississippi College in 1971. She met Joe Alex Fitzgerald working retail at JC Penney while in college. He being the floor manager and her being one of the cashiers in the back room, as it was in 1957. After they got married, they started a family and moved many times including GA, FL, MS, and IA before settling in NC in 1976. Her early career and passions were teaching and tutoring. She became a member at Grove Park Baptist Church in Burlington, NC and has served the Lord faithfully there for nearly 50 years, being a founding member of the BYKOTA Sunday school class. She also was an enthusiastic member of the choir and enjoyed serving in children’s choir and VBS. Charlotte was hired as the Executive Assistant to the President of Park Avenue Finishing at Glen Raven applying her skills and knowledge until she retired 20 years later in 2007. With her many talents, Charlotte always displayed a strong work ethic and willingness to do whatever it took, especially in the support of her children. She had a guiding moral compass and valued duty and citizenship proudly producing 6 Eagle Scouts among her sons and grandsons. In her later years, Charlotte stayed active by swimming at the YMCA and displayed her award medals in her living room. Since many were awarded for being the only participant in her age group, her face would light up with a youthful tone as she would explain the power of simply showing up. Her pursuits took her around the world often traveling with her eldest daughter to most of the 50 states and 10 countries. At home, every visit with her included her dry sense of humor, a stroll around her well-maintained yard and garden, and concluded with a bowl of ice cream. From growing up in the wake of the Great Depression on the farm, to becoming a single parent later in life, and then living independently and fearlessly in her elder years, Charlotte was known for her tough resilience, tenacity, and intelligence.

Charlotte is preceded in death by her father, Thomas C. Kersey and mother, Laura Barrs Kersey, and the “love of her life” Joe Alex Fitzgerald. She is survived by her brother from Lawrenceville, GA, Gerald Kersey, her four children and their spouses: Melanie A. Fitzgerald, Jeffrey (Claudette) Fitzgerald, Laura (Donnie) Nolf, and Alex (Heather) Fitzgerald and 9 grandchildren: Becca (Nick) Fitzgerald Merrill, Jake Fitzgerald, Harrison (Haley) Nolf, Spencer (Tessa) Nolf, Eli Fitzgerald, Natalie Nolf, Joseph Fitzgerald, Zachary Fitzgerald, and Kate Fitzgerald, and 2 great grandchildren: Owen Merrill and Leah Merrill.

A celebration of Charlotte’s life will be held on Sunday, August 3 at 3pm at Grove Park Church. There will be a family visitation in the main sanctuary preceding the service from 2:00-2:45pm. At the service to honor her memory the family plans to wear bright and cheerful clothing and encourages others to do the same.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to AuthoraCare Collective Hospice or Grove Park Baptist Church of Burlington,

AuthoraCare Collective Hospice Donate online: authoracare.org By Phone: 336-532-0100 or by mail, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215

Grove Park Baptist Church Donate online: groveparkchurch.com or by mail, 108 Trail One Burlington, NC 27215