Tributes

It was a winter early morning on November 28th 1934, at 2:49am to be exact, when the Lord blessed Flemmie L. Jackson and Lillie J. Jackson with a beautiful baby girl they named Myrtie Constance. Through the early years she exuded excellence, exceeding in everything she did. Myrtie graduated from high school at 14 making her parents proud and went on to attend Texas College in Tyler, Texas. She received her BA in education and went on to obtain her teaching credential from the State of Texas. Myrtie was a member of the Alpha Kapa Alpha Sorority. Inc. and she began teaching in 1955. Three years later she met her soul mate David O. Fitzpatrick. Myrtie and David fell in love quickly and knew they were meant to live a life together. On an impulse, they decided to move to California "the land of opportunity", where their first child was born a baby girl they named Sabrina Rochelle Fitzpatrick. Almost 5 years later their second child was born, another baby girl they named Deenean Yolanda Fitzpatrick. Life was good! Myrtie began working at Pacific Bell in Redwood City, California as a Telephone Operator although teaching was her real passion. While there, she began working on obtaining her credential to teach in the State of California. Once obtained, she began her teaching career at the Ravenswood City School District. While teaching full time, caring for 2 small children and being a dedicated wife, Myrtie went on to obtain her Masters in Education from California State University, Hayward. Then in her true fashion to never quite and always strive for excellence she went on to obtain two more teaching credentials, making her total 3 lifetime credentials in Education. In addition, adding to her list of accomplishments she was a leading force in establishing a school in Florida using the Marva Collins Teaching methods for which she held a certification. That was not the end, she also obtained her Doctor of Philosophy in Education in 1988 from the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her career in education, Myrtie taught several students, began the Follow Through program, became a Principal, ran a Child Development Center and operated a program for the State of California to assist teachers in obtaining a lifetime Credential. Myrtie continued to impact many lives throughout the years and she was recognized in the 1987/1988 publication of the Marquis of the Who's Who in America. She was also very active in her faith by serving as the Musical Director at several churches in the Menlo Park area, started and ran the jail ministry in Redwood City, California and built curriculum for the Sunday school programs at many churches where she was a member. Myrtie was a woman of integrity, honesty and accountability who lived and served in the Menlo Park Community for over 44 years before she retired for the second time to Austin Texas. In 2005, she and David moved to San Antonio to live next door to their daughter Deenean. She departed this life on November 20th 2015. She leaves behind her beloved husband David O. Fitzpatrick of San Antonio, Texas; two loving children Sabrina R. Fitzpatrick of Menlo Park, California and Deenean Y. Fitzpatrick of San Antonio, Texas; one brother Thomas E. Cook of Elizabethtown, Kentucky; two grandchildren Demare Davis of San Antonio, Texas and Jasmin S. Fitzpatrick of Menlo Park, California; cousins Yvonne C. Lacy of Houston, Texas, Joe Daniel Taylor and Mary E. Price both of Tyler, Texas and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.

Tributes

Dr. Myrtie C. Fitzpatrick

November 28, 1934 - November 20, 2015