Beckham County, OK - Obits: Gerald Levi Fitzwater, 2004
December 8, 2004

Submitted by: Snibbod1@aol.com (Barbara Dobbins)
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 GERALD LEVI FITZWATER - OBITUARY 
  
The Sun, San Bernardino, CA - December 8, 2004

During his long career in banking, GERALD LEVI FITZWATER rubbed elbows with Bob Hope, 
Red Skelton and former President Gerald Ford, and traveled as far away as Singapore, 
Vietnam and Pakistan. “While he was managing a Bank of America in Palm Springs, he sent 
Gerald Ford, a bank customer at the time, a short note asking him to come in and discuss 
his account,” said his wife, Marion Fitzwater of Sun City West, AZ. “Ford liked him so 
much that he invited him to play golf in his annual tournament in Vail, Colorado.”

Fitzwater, a longtime resident of San Bernardino County, died of cancer Friday at the 
Del Webb Hospital in Sun City West, AZ. He was 79 years old.

He was born on October 9, 1925 in Elk City, OK, and moved to San Bernardino when h was 11. 
He graduated from San Bernardino High School in 1943. Immediately after high school, 
Fitzwater enlisted in the Navy and saw combat in World War II. He received an array of 
medals, including the World War II Victory Medal, the American Defense Medal and the 
Good Conduct Medal.

After the war, Fitzwater was introduced to banking and began what would end up being a 
40-year career. He took banking courses at San Bernardino Valley College and received a 
degree in banking from the American Institute of Banking. In 1964 he became Bank of 
America’s world banking manager in Singapore and a year later he helped found the first 
Bank of America in Vietnam. After retirement in 1986, he became a consultant to Bank of 
America.

Fitzwater was an avid golfer and had two holes-in-one as an amateur.

Other survivors include three daughters, Diane Travis and husband Chris of San Clemente, 
CA, Karen McCullough and husband Mike of Houston, TX, and Sheri Nicholls and husband 
Steve of Huntington, AR, and six grandchildren. Services will be held at 2 pm Friday 
at Camino Del Sol in Sun City West.

NOTE: Submitter is not related in any way to deceased. Obituary is provided for genealogical 
interest only.

~RIP~