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ECHO's founding father is fondly remembered

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Rev. John Thomas Fitzgerald

JANESVILLE — What Janesville residents probably remember most about the Rev. John Thomas Fitzgerald is his involvement in starting ECHO.

"He was the priest most responsible for its formation, which is a pretty good legacy for a young priest starting out," said the Rev. Steve Umhoefer, priest at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Janesville.

Fitzgerald, fondly known as Father Fitz, died Saturday at the Don and Marilyn Anderson HospiceCare Center, Madison, after an extended illness. He was 70, according to his obituary.

Karen Lisser, executive director at ECHO, met Fitzgerald in 2007 at his retirement gathering at St. Stephen Catholic Church, Clinton.

"What a friendly man," Lisser said.

Lisser agreed Fitzgerald was responsible for being one of the key people who developed the foundation for ECHO, a local faith-sponsored charity that celebrated its 40th anniversary earlier this year.

"He got us started going in the right direction. Without his help and other pioneer volunteers, we wouldn't be where we are today," she said.

Lisser said Fitzgerald was a visionary, who created solutions regarding the poor, elderly, disadvantaged and handicapped.

When Lisser met Fitzgerald he still was interested in what was happening with ECHO.

"He really cared about people," she said.

Fitzgerald was associate pastor at St. Mary's parish in Janesville from 1968 to 1975.

Umhoefer and Fitzgerald attended the St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee together.

"He was ordained a few years after I was. I think he was about 30 when he was ordained. So we've known each other all these years," he said.

Over the years, Father Fitz served at nine parishes throughout Wisconsin.