Wilda Fitzgerald
Wilda Rowe Fitzgerald, 85, of Stuarts Draft, passed away Monday, July 15, 2024 at her home surrounded by her family. She was born on October 30, 1938 in Staunton, daughter of her parents the late Robert L. Rowe and Ida Catherine Jackson Rowe and her step-mother, Annie B. Jackson Fridley Rowe.
Wilda graduated from Wilson Memorial High School in 1956 and from the LPN program of King’s Daughters Hospital. During her career she was employed as an LPN at King’s Daughters Hospital, numerous nursing homes and Care Advantage prior to her retirement.
She attended Victory Worship Center in Staunton and she loved to sing hymns at various churches “Hymn Sings.” Wilda never met a stranger and would strike up a conversation with anyone. She truly loved her grandchildren with all of her heart. Wilda liked outings to get ice cream and drives around to see new places.
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Wilda’s Caregiver Carol Ferency Takacs, Augusta Health-Hospice of the Shenandoah, Hospice nurse, Kaitlyn Wegner and Hospice aide, Cindy Powell.
In addition to her father, mother and step-mother she was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Loyd A. Fitzgerald.
Survivors include her two daughters, Michelle Loan of Fishersville and her fiancé, Benny Matheny of Millboro, Virginia and Teresa Layman and husband, Douglas Layman of Stuarts Draft; her three grandchildren, Leslie Marvin of Richmond, Virginia, L. David Austin Loan of Verona, Virginia and Megan Layman of Stuarts Draft, Virginia; her two great-grandchildren, Jackson Wade Chandler and Sawyer Huey Loan; her twin sister, Wanda R. Wooten of Orlando, Florida and brother-n-law, Eugene M. Martin of Orlando, Florida; brother-in-law, Ernest Fitzgerald of Greenville, Virginia; her sisters-in-law, Becky Rankin of Greenville, Virginia and Ruth Cook of Inverness, Florida; her niece, Lisa M. Neuendorf of Orlando, Florida and her nephew, Brian D. Martin, of Wixom, Michigan.
The family will receive friends from 4:00 – 6:00 pm, Sunday, July 21, 2024 at the Charlton and Groome Funeral Home, 619 Lifecore Drive, Fishersville and where a funeral service will be at 10:00 am, Monday, July 22, 2024, conducted by Pastor Ray Eppard. A graveside committal service, for family only, will be held at Spring Valley Church Cemetery, Stuarts Draft, following the chapel service. Serving as Active Pallbearers will be Douglas Layman, Mike Rankin, Robert Cook, Marty Lovekemp and L. David Austin Loan.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society, Harrisonburg Office, 420 Neff Ave., Suite 210, Harrisonburg, VA 18901, online https://www.cancer.org/ phone 540-434-3360 or the Dementia Society of America, PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901, online https://www.dementiasociety.org/
Share memories and condolences at www.charltonandgroomefuneralhome.com
