Helen Fitzgerald, 81, of Mendota died Dec. 18, 2008, in Mendota Community Hospital. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in Holy Cross Church, Mendota. The Rev. Fredi Gomez Torres will officiate. Interment of ashes will be at Holy Cross Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Arrangements are by Merritt Funeral Home in Mendota. She was born Nov. 20, 1927, in Chicago to Peter and Margaret (Kane) Carberry. She married Justin Fitzgerald on Feb. 23, 1957. Mrs. Fitzgerald was a member of Holy Cross Church and its Altar Society. She attended St. Philomina High School and La Salle- Peru-Oglesby Junior College (Illinois Valley Community College). She was a member of Mendota Hospital Auxiliary and volunteered in the hospital gift shop. She also volunteered at Mendota Food Pantry, Mendota elementary schools and the migrant council in Mendota. Survivors include her husband of Mendota; one daughter, Nora Fitzgerald of Oak Park; two grandchildren; two brothers, Jack (Kathleen) Carberry of Joliet and Tom Carberry of Wheaton; one sister, Noreen Nally of Joliet; nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by three brothers. Memorials may be directed to Misericordia, 6300 N. Ridge St., Chicago, IL 60660.