Justice Pat Fitzgerald

Sault Ste. Marie gave Justice Pat FitzGerald his career start more than 50 years ago. Through their planned giving to the Sault Area Hospital Foundation, he and his wife, Linda, can say ‘thank you' to the community well into the future.

The long-time donors are making a provision in their wills to further support the SAHF because they recognize how the hospital has benefited them and their family. In addition, Pat and Linda have also contributed to the New Sault Area Hospital Building Fund by naming the Foundation as the primary beneficiary in a life insurance policy.

"As the years went by, we could see the hospital building aging," says Pat, explaining what originally prompted the couple to donate to the SAHF. "As the City grew, despite additions and repairs, the physical plant deteriorated and the facilities became more crowded. There was one constant, however. In all our many trips to the hospital, we and our children had nothing but competent and compassionate care from the nurses, doctors, technicians and staff at all levels."

For several years before a new hospital was finally approved, the need was obvious, Linda says. "When it came time for the community to contribute, we decided that our participation should be as significant as we could manage," she says. "We have used the hospital and been cared for there more often than by any other institution, local, provincial or federal, and we will continue to do so. We can't think of a single cause more deserving of support. Our contributions are just a tangible and, we think, useful way of saying ‘thank you.' "

Pat recalls his early beginnings in Sault Ste. Marie and with a young family, knew how important quality healthcare would be.
In February 1947, he was in his final year of the special law course established at Osgoode Hall for returning World War II veterans and Linda was about to deliver their first child. It was time to consider the next move.

"Openings for young lawyers in Toronto were not plentiful, so when Arthur Wishart was looking for a junior partner, I came up one weekend in February and decided that this was it," he says. "I clicked with Arthur and even under several feet of snow, I liked the Sault," he chuckles.

On June 9 of that year, Pat received his call to the bar. With a wife and new son to support and with army income now ending, there would be no holiday. That same night, the family was on the train to Sault Ste. Marie. The day after arriving, Pat saw his first client, beginning a career that would span more than 50 years, all but a few in the Sault.

Even in the years away, the family spent summers in the Sault and on St. Joseph Island.  Pat and Linda had three more children delivered in Sault Ste. Marie. They also had various hospital admissions and procedures, as did their children at one time or another. In the summers, treatment was received at Matthews Memorial Hospital in Richards Landing.

Sault Area Hospital has provided healthcare to the FitzGeralds for decades. Now they are contributing to its long-term well being.