JOHN CLEARY
FITZSIMMONS....
Into the loving
arms of our
Heavenly Father,
surrounded by
his beloved
family, he died
very much as he
had lived, with
grace and
dignity,
epitomizing the
meaning of a
strong
determined man
until the very
end. Born in
Corpus Christi,
Texas on
February 11,
1941, John was
the first child
born to Robert
Cornelius
FitzSimmons and
Elizabeth
Cambron
FitzSimmons. He
passed away at
age 68 on
February 9, 2010
at The Hampton
Retirement
Community in
Houston, six
years to the day
that he lost his
darling wife of
38 years, Helen
Marie Guthrie
FitzSimmons. He
was a beloved
brother, an
amazing Uncle
John, and a good
friend to many.
He was a 6th
generation Texan
of Irish descent
whose great,
great,
great-grandfather
Joseph E.
FitzSimmons,
came from
Dublin, Ireland
through New
Orleans, LA in
1846 and became
one of the
initial settlers
of Corpus
Christi, Texas
in 1854.John was
preceded in
death by his
father, his
mother, and his
wife. He is
survived by his
loving sisters,
Andy (Carole)
FitzSimmons
Henderson and
husband, Earl,
Las Vegas NV,
Karen Taylor
Steward and
husband, Jerry,
Spring Branch
TX, Robin Taylor
Stewart and
husband, Don,
Cypress, TX;
beloved
sisters-in-law,
Leone Guthrie
Reeder and
husband, Jim,
McLean, VA;
Constance
Guthrie Hogland
and husband,
Tim, Boise, ID,
and his beloved
Pinson-in-laws,
Theodore W.
Pinson, Harry C.
Pinson and wife,
Karen, Susan
Pinson Belding
and husband
David, all of
whom are
residents of
Houston. John
had numerous
nieces, nephews,
grandnieces,
grandnephews,
and
god-children. He
adored them. He
had two
long-term
special
companions,
Oscar Asberry
and Oma Johnson.
Sincere
gratitude is
extended from
the family to
Oscar and Oma,
as well as to
every level of
staff and
friends John
made throughout
The Hampton. "He
was easy to
love." Not many
individuals have
been blessed
with the
lifelong circle
of friends who
surrounded John
and Helen, and
continued to
love and support
him after the
loss of his dear
wife.It was in
the early years
of their
marriage that
John began a
long career in
art, first
opening Fitz-Clary
Gallery in l972,
followed in 1975
by his
appointment to
Director of
Dubose Gallery
by the late
Stanley
McDonald. Dubose
was then one of
Houston's
premier
galleries.In
1980, Helen and
John founded
Develo-Cepts,
Inc., the first
private Level 1
Intermediate
Care Facility
provider to open
in Harris
County.
Develo-Cepts was
a company that
specialized in
providing
training in
independent
living skills to
26
developmentally
disabled men and
women with
mental
retardation who
resided in two
group homes
located in
Houston's
Montrose
area.There was
never an end to
the joy John
could bring to a
person's life.
He had a passion
for family,
friends, art,
art history, and
historical
biographies,
particularly
those of British
monarchs, from
Queen Victoria
to the present
reign. He also
enjoyed reading
and rereading
the biographies
of major
contemporary
artists, and in
doing so,
accumulated a
sizeable art
reference
library. He was
a consummate
collector, from
fine art to
whimsy.A
memorial service
and celebration
of John's life
will be hosted
on Saturday,
February 13, 3PM
to 5PM at The
Hampton at Post
Oak, 2929 Post
Oak Blvd. A
scholarship fund
is to be
established in
the names of
John Cleary
FitzSimmons and
Helen Guthrie
FitzSimmons at
The University
of St. Thomas,
where they met,
fell in love and
graduated. If
you wish, a gift
to your favorite
charity in
John's name is
requested in
lieu of
flowers.The
funeral service
will be private.
Burial will be
in Forest Park
Westheimer
Cemetery, next
to his wife
Helen and his
mother Elizabeth
Cambron Taylor.