Ethel Fitzgerald

ETHEL JOSEPHINE (TURNER) FITZGERALD\r\n\r\nETHEL JOSEPHINE (TURNER) FITZGERALD, 89 years of age, of Bandera, Texas, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, February 17, 2021. \r\n\r\nEthel was preceded in death by Earl Russell Chastain (husband in first nuptials, of Norman, Oklahoma) and Richard "Cotton" Fitzgerald (husband in second nuptials, of Pipe Creek. Texas), as well as by her parents, Thomas Boyd Turner and Josephine (Postert) Turner, both of Bandera; and her siblings, Eugene Turner, Margie (Turner) Teich Short, and Edward Turner, all of Bandera. \r\n\r\nShe is survived by her loving partner, Bruce Woodall of Bandera; her brother, Ray Turner and wife Cheryl Turner of Bandera; her children Catherine Chastain and husband Roy Wilcox of Helotes, Joan (Chastain) Espinosa of San Antonio, Thomas Chastain of Bandera, Jim Chastain and wife Debbie Chastain of Bandera and Paula Chastain and husband Pete Nelson of Kerrville; her grandchildren: Jason Sisler, Adrian Sancho, Anthony Espinosa, Tanya Sherwood, Russell Espinosa, Jeff Chastain, Jeana (Chastain) Andrade, Jayme (Chastain) Solis, Travis Chastain, Kayla Chastain, Brandy (Rose) Buxton, Daniel Rose; and her great grandchildren: Sophie Sisler, Noelle Sisler, Gabriella Reyes, Katherine Reyes, Amy Sancho, Emily Espinosa, Alexis Haines, Dominic Morgan, Autumn Sherwood, Jessa Andrade, Ava Solis, Hazel Buxton, Nora Buxton, and Franklin Buxton. \r\n\r\nEthel was born and raised in Bandera, Texas, where she lived until her first marriage when she became an Air Force wife and started her travels, one of her lifetime passions. During those years she was a ham radio operator (K5OPS) as well as an accomplished bowler and golfer. While in Austin, Texas, she became a civil servant at the IRS to later retire from the VA Hospital in Kerrville, Texas. In later years she enjoyed fishing, even deep sea fishing, and was an avid walker with her friend and work colleague, Cecilia Schmidke, also of Bandera, until their ages permitted. Once retired, she returned to her zeal for traveling but this time in RV style with the Loner's RV Travel Club, which is where she and Bruce met. Ethel and Bruce stayed together for the last 15 years of her life, RVing every month with their club until about a year ago. Her family was fond of visiting her Bandera home during hummingbird season because of all the hummingbirds attracted by the numerous feeders she and Bruce kept stocked. Ethel was known for her love of all types of birds and kept bird seed and houses on her property to be able to enjoy them from her porch. \r\n\r\nEthel was a member of the St. Christopher's Episcopal Church of Bandera. A Memorial Service will be at 11:00 AM, Saturday, March 6, 2021 at St. Christopher Episcopal Church with Father Rob Harris officiating. \r\n\r\nInstead of flowers, please contribute to Helping Hands of Bandera or the Silver Sage Senior Center of Bandera. \r\n\r\n