[2] Thomas Fitzgerald was born on February 23, 1922, in Washington, D.C., and attended Gonzaga College High School.

He was ordained a priest in 1952 in Leuven, Belgium, having received a licentiate degree in sacred theology there.

He also received a doctorate in classical languages from the University of Chicago.

[2] During his six-year tenure at Fairfield University, Father Fitzgerald oversaw the construction of the Student Recreational Complex and the Center for Financial Studies, which has since become the home of the Dolan School of Business.

Fitzgerald suffered from heart problems in his later years and died in his hometown on March 22, 2004, at age 82.