Sharon Fitzgerald Mallory, 78, of San Antonio, Texas, died Wednesday evening, July 4th, 2018, surrounded by her devoted family. She was a woman of strength, of courage, of love. For over 30 years, she served our country as a dedicated Army wife, sharing strength and encouragement with not only her own family, but also with other families of servicemen/women all over the world. Sharon was a dearly-loved wife, mother, and grandmother, and she will be greatly missed. We rejoice that she has been restored to fullness of life in heaven, and that we will see her again.

Sharon Cornelia Fitzgerald was born on September 13, 1939, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Cornelia and Truman Fitzgerald. She grew up in Rogers, Arkansas, and graduated from Rogers High School in 1957. Sharon attended the University of Arkansas for a year, and then moved to Dallas, Texas to accept a position as an air hostess with Braniff Airlines. Sharon met her future husband, Philip, on a blind date during the summer of 1959. By their third date, they were talking of marriage. In the summer of 1960, Sharon left her job in Dallas to move to West Point, New York, to be close to Phil, who was attending the United States Military Academy. While at West Point, she worked as secretary to the dietician at West Point Hospital, and Phil and Sharon were officially engaged in the fall of 1960.

Following Phil’s graduation and commissioning, they were married on July 1st, 1961, at Central Methodist Church in Rogers. The couple moved briefly to Fort Knox, Kentucky, and then Phil departed for duty in Germany in the fall of 1961, while Sharon stayed behind in New York. Phil worked aggressively to get Sharon approved to join him, and she surprised him by arriving in Munich in time for Christmas 1961; in all the years since, they have never missed a Christmas together. After five years in Germany, including a year in Heidelberg where they welcomed a daughter, they were stationed back in the US for a short time before Phil deployed for duty in Vietnam in July 1967. Sharon was expecting their second child, also a daughter, born in October, just before Phil was critically wounded and flown home to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in November. Sharon cared for Phil through a nine-month hospital stay, while simultaneously caring for two babies at home. Their young family then moved to Davis, California so that Phil could pursue a graduate degree while completing his lengthy physical therapy, and there the couple welcomed their third child, a son. As duty called over the next 20 years, Sharon moved her family to various Army posts around the world, including Kansas, New York, Washington DC, Texas, and six additional years in Germany. Upon retirement, Phil and Sharon lived and worked in New York and California, before settling in Round Rock, Texas, to be near their children and grandchildren. In 2014, they began their 33rd and final move to the Army Residence Community in San Antonio where Sharon enjoyed being neighbors with old friends again, meeting new friends, traveling, and continuing to see family and friends in Austin.

Sharon loved books (you would never find her without a book nearby), singing (you could always find her in the church choir), traveling (you could often find her in the Grand Canyon), and ice-cold Coca-Cola (you would always find her with one in the afternoons). She also loved keeping up with her large network of friends all over the world. Most of all, she loved her family, and loved being a proud grandmother of nine dearly loved grandchildren. Throughout her life, Sharon’s love for others was always visible – she continuously and generously leaned in with acts of service for her children, family and friends alike.

Sharon is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Philip Halm Mallory, who will miss her more than words can say. Sharon is also survived by her three children, Paige M. Douthit, Janet M. Mountain and husband Rocky, and Philip F. Mallory and wife Ruth, all of Austin, along with nine grandchildren, Mallory Douthit of Houston, John Douthit of Denver, Jacob Douthit of Denver, and Madeleine Douthit, Carolina Mountain, Jackson Mountain, Bryce Mountain, Rebecca Mallory, and Benjamin Mallory, all of Austin. Additionally, Sharon is survived by her sister, Mrs. Martha MacPhillips and husband Tom of Seligman, Missouri, plus a large extended family, a multitude of friends, and a very beloved and very sad dog, Chico.

We greatly appreciate all those who loved her, supported her, and cared for her through her illness.

Memorial services will be held at 3pm on Wednesday, July 11th, in the Chapel of the Army Residence Community in San Antonio, with a reception following. The Chapel will open at 2pm for a period of silence and prayer. Sharon will be buried at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, where she and Phil spent so many happy times.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Endowment Fund at the Army Residence Community, which is dedicated to supporting resident widows.