Dennis J. Fitzpatrick, 79, longtime Mt. Pleasant Pharmacist, died Sunday, February 12, 2023 at the Henry County Health Center in Mt. Pleasant.
The Funeral Mass for Dennis will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Friday, February 17 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 607 S. Jackson Street, Mt. Pleasant. Fathers Edward Fitzpatrick, Nick Adam and Paul Connolly will concelebrate the Mass. Burial will be in the St. Alphonsus Cemetery with a military flag presentation conducted by the Iowa Military Funeral Honors Detail. Friends may call at the church from 2-7 PM on Thursday. The family will be present to receive friends from 4-7 PM. Visitation will conclude with a Scriptural Wake Service at 7PM. The Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant, is caring for Dennis and his family. Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com.
Those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to Midwest Old Threshers, Holy Trinity Catholic Schools or the Fellowship Cup.
Dennis John Fitzpatrick was born August 20, 1943 in Burlington, IA, the son of Matthias John and Dorothy Anne (Pryor) Fitzpatrick Schwertley. He moved with his family to Mt. Pleasant at age 2 and graduated from Mt. Pleasant Community High School in 1961. He entered the University of Iowa School of Pharmacy and graduated in 1966. On August 4, 1980 in Mt. Pleasant, Dennis was united in marriage to Alice Louise Donald McWilliams.
Dennis began his pharmacist career at Sutter Drug Store in Burlington. Dennis was called to the service of his country. He entered the United States Army on Sept. 24, 1968 at Ft. Des Moines, IA and was assigned as a pharmacist to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. His duties there were attached to the Pentagon. He was honorably discharged as an SP5 on September 23, 1970.. He remained in the North Virginia area to be a manager over several Dart Drug Stores in the area. Dennis returned to Mt. Pleasant in 1978 to manage the Panther Rexall Drug Store. Dennis opened Fitzpatrick Pharmacy in Dick’s Super Valu in 1983. He incorporated Brau Pharmacy into his own in 1987 and in 1989, formed a partnership with Linn Hunsaker. They opened a second pharmacy, Park Pharmacy at Family Medicine of Mt. Pleasant in 1990. For 10 consecutive years, Dennis was proud of being voted the Favorite Pharmacist by readers of the Mt. Pleasant News. Dennis sold the pharmacy to Hy-Vee in 2003 and retired in 2013.
Dennis was a member of St. Alphonsus Catholic Church. For 25 years, Dennis served on the Board of Directors for the Pilot Grove Savings bank. Fishing was his biggest pastime, most notably fishing in ponds. He loved to landscape, so much so that in addition to the landscaping he did for enjoyment in his backyard, he was put in charge of the landscaping when St. Alphonsus built their new church. Dennis was a gifted painter. He painted a toybox for each grandchild, decorating each one uniquely with a favorite childhood theme. In addition, he created numerous paintings on walls and portraits.
Those thankful for sharing in Dennis’s life include his wife Alice of Mt. Pleasant; 3 children – Terry (Cyndi) McWilliams of Mt. Pleasant, Tracy (John) Dingman of St. Paul, IA and Ty (Lindsey) Fitzpatrick of Kansas City, MO; 8 grandchildren – Bri, Nathan and Rachel McWilliams, Emily, Abby and Alexa Dingman and Sydney and Ben Fitzpatrick; a sister – Patricia Miller of Cedar Rapids and 2 brothers – Bill (Donna) Schwertley of Ames and Dwight T. (Jeannie) Schwertley of Rock Island, IL.
Dennis’s parents and brother Mike Fitzpatrick precede him in death.