Submitted by: Dan Rich

Dianne Snellgrove Fitzpatrick

Dec. 1, 1948 - Jan. 9, 2008

South Bend Tribune 1/11/2008
SOUTH BEND - Dianne Snellgrove Fitzpatrick, 59, passed away early Wednesday morning in Saint Joseph Medical Center after a courageous nine-year battle with breast cancer. Dianne, the second of five daughters, was born in South Bend, Ind., to John and Mary (Mitchell) Snellgrove. A lifetime resident of South Bend, she attended Saint Joseph's grade and high schools in South Bend and graduated from Saint Mary's College with a degree in political science.

During her time at Saint Mary's, she met her future husband, James B. Fitzpatrick, a teacher at Clay Middle School, whom she wed in 1971. Dianne worked for many years at the County City Building where she was an administrator for the CETA and summer youth programs. Later, Dianne worked as a contract administrator for Honeywell, Inc., until the time of her death. She was an active member of the Christ Child Society and the Secret Sister Society.

She was preceded in death by her father, John, and by her nephew, John David Nielsen. She is survived by her husband, James, a teacher at Saint Joseph High School, who is in remission from leukemia; her two children, Colleen A. Fitzpatrick, a professor at Saint Mary's College, and Sean J. Fitzpatrick, a doctoral candidate at West Virginia University; her mother, Mary; and her sisters, Suzanne Nielsen of Battle Creek, Mich., Joanne Schaeffer of South Bend, Marianne Whelchel of Greenwood, Ind., and Louanne Bennett of Spring City, Tenn. She was the proud aunt of 11 nieces and 14 nephews, and great-aunt of 12 grand-nieces and nephews. Dianne was the epitome of courage and an inspiration to all those who knew her. The family offers special thanks to Dr. Bilal Ansari and his staff, and the sixth floor oncology staff of Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center.