BOOTS ANDERSON FITZGERALD was the daughter of
Abe and Jessie Anderson of Bowie, TX. She lost her
courageous battle with Multiple Myeloma, cancer of
the bone marrow, on June 9, 2006, at age 75. She
handled this crippling disease with much grace and
courage. She never complained and was full of hope
that a cure was imminent to the very end. She was a
woman of faith and trusted God completely. We know
that she is finally home with her loving God.
Boots was born in Bowie, TX, on September 11, 1930.
She graduated from high school in Ranger, TX. She
then attended Ranger Junior College earning Phi Theta
Kappa. She met the love of her life, Ben, while fishing
on Possum Kingdom Lake, located in northwest Texas.
Together they embarked upon a 51 year journey forming
and operating several business including Chaparral
Petroleum, where they drilled and operated many wells
in California and Texas. Boots even took flying lessons
to be copilot to Ben on their various trips. Her family
was her most cherished treasure, giving herself and
bringing joy to them to the last moment. She believed
anyone could accomplish any goal they desired if they
applied the effort and was a constant encouragement to
her family. Her favorite hobbies were gourmet cooking,
reading, fishing, and bird watching in her garden. A
quote she wrote on the treatment room wall during new
construction on CBCC was "When the going gets tough -
the tough get going", which are words the family has
lived by these past few months fighting her disease.
Boots is survived by her loving husband, Ben; three
loving children, Karen, Tracey and her husband, Kevin
and Patrick and his wife, Trisha; three caring grand-
children, Amy, Matthew and Casey; her sister, Emogene
Jones and her husband, Robert of Bowie; nieces, Jamie
and Susie and their spouses and children.