Robert "Bob" Vincent Fitz-Gerald Sr, 84, of 14 Highland Street Middleboro, MA, a longtime resident of Middleboro, passed away peacefully on August 30th, 2025 surrounded by his loving family.  Bob was born on June 19, 1941, the eldest son to the late Rita and Lester Fitz-Gerald. 

 

Bob was raised between Boston Massachusetts and Brooklyn, NY.  At 14 years old he moved to Arizona and became a "cowboy".  He worked on a ranch which he enjoyed and spoke of drinking the raw milk from old Bessie, eating desert cucumbers while out on the range checking fences and how he got his nick name "Boston Blacky."  

 

After earning a GED, Bob enlisted in the Navy and served on the USS Benham DD-796.  Following his service in the Navy, Bob worked as a mechanic and machinist, eventually earning an associate’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Franklin Institute in Boston in 1975. 

 

During the 1960s, Bob worked with a close friend, Carl Whitcomb (Kathleen), operating a garage in Boston.  He always worked on his own vehicles and taught anyone within reach to do the same. During this time Bob met and married his first wife, Pauline Champagne and in the coming years had three children together.

 

In connection with close friends and neighbors (Tom and Rosalie Perry, Bruce and Victoria Kane; Al, Jean, Ed and Ricky Giannelli), Bob met Margaret Bingham.  Bob and Margaret were married in 1977, where they continued to raise their family on Highland St.   

 

During his working life, Bob worked as a machinist, apprenticing up to a class-A machinist, tool and die maker, and then as a precision jig grinder, operating Moore machines with ease (routinely to millions of an inch).  As an engineer, Bob worked in both the production and development side of company operations.  Bob worked for several companies during his career, the most notable of which were Polaroid (Cambridge, Boston, Waltham, Norwood, 27 years), and Johnson & Jonson (Taunton, 17 years).    

 

Bob was a lifetime member of the Old Colony Sportsman Association in Pembroke Massachusetts.  In his younger years he was an avid hunter and target shooter, attending matches throughout the year and taking home many trophies for his marksmanship for offhand shooting at 200 yards, primarily in Schuetzen style matches but he also enjoyed participating in military matches, some of which reached out to 600 and 1000 yards.    

 

In 1981, Bob decided he wanted to ride a motorcycle, so he purchased a 1980 leftover Harley Davidson FLT from Monty’s.  His friends made fun of him at times because it had a "fixed fairing" and was so different than what others were riding.  But he knew the engineering behind the design was sound and didn’t care, often riding 25,000 miles/year.  He was a proud and founding member of New England Vikings Motorcycle Club where they would go on various local rides and poker runs, including 1000 mile / 24 hours endurance ride.

 

Through these common interests, Bob became close friends to many throughout his life, a list far too long for here.  A few of which are Loring and June Hall, Giles and Gert Adams (Ginny), Allen and Gene Windsor, Roland and Joan Whitcomb (Joanie), Bobby Whitcomb, Scott and Kymberly Ashley (Rebekah, Rachel), Dennis Delleraco, Russel and Donna McDonald, Paul Trudell, Roy Piva, Allen Wanson, Larry Bean, Walter Turrel, George Wilson, George Snow, Bob Webster, Kenny Johnson, Victor and Carol Sologaistoa, and many, many more.

 

During these activities, Bob involved all of his family whenever possible in daily chores, house and auto repair, and processing firewood (sometimes willingly, sometimes not…).  The entire family spent time at the shooting club, riding around New England on the bike, and stopping at the Hall’s for famous “Junie Bread” and tea.  Bob’s main goal was to be a strong provider for his family, which he did very well.  Through his work ethic and loyalty, he showed just how dearly he loved his family and friends.  In his later years, following retirement, he lived vicariously through the successes of both his kids and grandkids.  Marveling at their accomplishments, he loved to sit and watch them.   

 

In addition to his wife of 47 years, Margaret, Bob is survived by his daughter Mary Fitz-Gerald, son James Fitz-Gerald (Dana), granddaughter Paulina Fitz-Gerald, and grandsons Noah and Philip Fitz-Gerald.  Bob is survived by his brothers Dennis Lamb (Martha), Kevin Lamb (Cindy), and Ronald Lamb.  Bob is also survived by a host of nephews and nieces: Billy, Kevin, Keri, Lori, Mary, Ronnie, Ralph, Mark and Jenn.

 

Bob was preceded in death by his first wife Margaret Pauline (Champagne) Fitz-Gerald, parents Red and Rita Lamb, Lester and Rose Fitz-Gerald, his brother William Fitz-Gerald and his first son Robert V. Fitz-Gerald, Jr. 

 

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 27th, 2025, at 1:00 P.M in the O'Neill Funeral Home, 59 Peirce Street (corner of School Street) Middleboro Massachusetts, followed by a Memorial Service officiated by

Jeremy Ervin at 2:00 P.M.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family thoughtfully requests memorials to Bob be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org

 

To offer your condolences online, please visit our website:  www.oneillfuneral.com