Dorothy Rice Fitzgerald was born in Bedford on Oct. 25, 1936. She was surrounded by loving family as she ran into the arms of Jesus on July 10, 2024. She was the daughter of the late Ben and Ruby Rice. 

Dorothy lived a full and impactful life between those dates and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Cole Y. Fitzgerald; her daughter, Karen F. Jones (Bill), and her son, Barry Fitzgerald (Shelly); one sister, Carolyn Brown (Ben), and one brother, Tom Rice. She also leaves behind three grandchildren, Gavin Harper (Shirley), Mackenzie Campbell (Finley), and Blake Jones; plus four great-grandchildren, Raylen Campbell, Bellamy Campbell, Boone Campbell, and Max Harper. She is also predeceased by a daughter, Sandy F. Harper. Dorothy was loved by several sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, and friends - too many to mention. She left an indelible imprint on everyone she ever met. 

Dorothy was a beauty -both inside and out- a stunning lady on her own who knew how to accessorize an outfit like no other! She was a class act. She had a determination and spunk that got the job done, whatever it might be. She was a talented artist who delighted in giving her paintings to family members and adorning her home with her artwork. Dorothy was a faithful employee of Rockbridge County Schools for more than 30 years. She was also a wonderful cook and skilled seamstress who made many outfits for herself as well as her children and grandchildren. Determination plus talent equals a valuable individual, and that is who Dorothy was. She adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and loved nothing more than playing with them and squealing with laughter right along with them. 

Most of all, Dorothy Fitzgerald loved Jesus. She faithfully served Him and her local church. She lived the Christian life in front of her children and taught them well. She loved her husband and created a peaceful and comforting home for the entire family. What a wonderful life she lived! She is no longer with us, but she is more alive today than she has ever been. We praise God that we have the hope of seeing her again, and since there is no night in Heaven, we will do just that - a little later today.

The family wishes to thank ConnectionsPlus Healthcare + Hospice for everything they did to care for Dorothy over the past few months. They went above and beyond to keep her comfortable and to inform the family along the way.

Visitation will be Monday night, July 15, from 6 to 8 at Natural Bridge Christian Fellowship, 21 Gilmore Mill Road, Natural Bridge. The funeral service will also be held at the church on Tuesday morning, July 16, at 11 with internment at RockbridgeMemorial Gardens immediately following the service. 

Arrangements are by Harrison Funeral Home and Crematory.