Alice C. Fitzgerald

Alice Caroline Deam Fitzgerald, 90, of Florida died Nov. 7. The family provided the following information. Alice was the daughter of Paul and Elsie Rosencutter Deam. Born in Wichitaon March 21, 1922, she was one of seven children. Even though the majority of her later life was spent in Florida, she never lost her love for the Kansas hills. Both the Deam and the Rosencutter families were pioneers of Riley and surrounding counties. Alice often passed along her mother's stories about the Kaw Indians who lived on what is now Stagg Hill, stories about the Union Pacific Railway that parallels the farm house and their life as a family in the late 1800s. During the Depression, the Deam family moved to Florida where Alice resided for more than 80 years. She made many return trips to visit her family, who had returned to Manhattan and lived on what is now Rosencutter Road. Their original farmhouse, built in the 1860s remains to this day. Alice was a devoted elementary classroom teacher for more than 30 years in Palm Beach County, Florida with many of those years at Westgate Elementary School. She served as a board member of the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association and was a staunch advocate for the preservation of a 'livable Florida for future generations.' Alice won the nomination to represent the north area of Palm Beach County for Teacher of the Year in 1994. She loved her students and often shared happy memories with family. She was the quintessential teacher even after retiring at 72, often correcting her family's grammar, spelling and use of the English language. Alice earned her master's degree in elementary education from Florida Atlantic University in 1964. As a proud member of the 1938 graduating class of Palm Beach High School, she met regularly for lunch with a few other classmates who fondly called themselves the '38ers. Alice was a true follower of politics, always ready for a spirited debate. She loved nature and history, often sharing stories of the family's early years in Florida - living through the Great Depression, surviving the 1927 hurricane and the fact that her father, Paul Deam, actually helped plat Hendry County. Alice will be deeply missed but remembered for the valuable life lessons she taught everyone. She is predeceased by her siblings, William 'Bill', Kathryn, Donald C. Esq., Dorothy, and Robert 'Bob' Esq. Alice is survived by her brother, John C. Deam and wife Kay of Junction City; her three children, Elise Campbell and husband David of Palm City, Fla., Margaret 'Peg' Bechtold of Jupiter, Fla., Robert Thomas 'Tom' Fitzgerald Jr. of Jupiter, Fla.; six grandchildren, John Bechtold and wife Brooke of Palm Beach, Fla., Robert Bechtold and wife Jill of Jacksonville, Fla., Megan Bechtold of Jupiter, Fla., Shannon Armstrong and husband Doug of Lantana, Fla., Jennifer Whitaker and husband Robert of Flower Mound, Texas, Melissa James of Port St Lucie, Fla.; and 13 great-grandchildren. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 29. Alice will be laid to rest next to her parents, Paul and Elsie Rosencutter Deam at Sunrise Cemetery, located on her beloved Kansas hilltop overlooking Manhattan. The land where the Sunrise Cemetery is located was originally part of the Rosencutter farm.