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Very little was missing in Dora Fitzgerald's 93 years of life, she had a marriage of 65 years and family that spreads generations, but politics was never a passion until the final year of her life.
“She was very moved for Barack Obama (web|news|bio) ’s passion for fixing things, and his articulate way of delivering his message and she just decided she was going to vote for him,” said her daughter, M. Fitzgerald.
But as her health declined M Fitzgerald took care of her mother, watching her slowly slip away.
“It was beautiful, it was sad, tragic, you prepare for it, you know it's coming, and still when it happens, you’re completely crushed,” said M. Fitzgerald.
But Mrs. Fitzgerald didn’t leave quietly, there was unfinished business.
"She said I don’t know if I’m going to live that long, but I plan on sticking around to vote for him,” said M. Fitzgerald.
Fearful that November was too long to wait, her daughter sent for an absentee ballot. It arrived last week.
“She made her mark, and we put it in the envelope, my brother and I walked to the mailbox, it was 11 o’clock Wednesday morning and I said ‘Mom its in the mail, you’ve done your thing, Barack’s going to win,’ and she kind of smiled and it was kind of a deep sigh, a sigh of relief, and in less than an hour later, she died,” said M. Fitzgerald.
She traveled the world, raised a family, lived a full life, and on her death bed exercised her right to vote.
“The only thing left on her list was to make sure she got her voice heard, and she did,” said M. Fitzgerald.
Mrs. Fitzgerald was born in 1915 and according to her family, she voted in 19 presidential elections.
She is survived by her nine children; William of Garmisch, Germany; Michael of New Sweden, ME; Joseph of Seattle, WA; Kathleen of Murrieta, CA; Shelagh of Caribou, ME; Timothy of Portland, ME; Terence (Terry) of Foxborough, MA; Patrick of Charleston, SC; and Mary T. of North Charleston, SC. She’s also survived by 18 grandchildren and more than a dozen great-grand kids.
No offense intended, but you are incorrect. The law requires persons known to be deceased to be purged from the voter rolls. This is true. However, a person who was alive when the vote was cast was an eligible voter at that time, and their death does not invalidate that. If anything, the story backs up her status at the time of the vote and resolves any challenge in her favor.
The only thing that could invalidate her vote is someone making a huge misinterpretation of the letter and spirit of the law, and then publicizing it, thus giving one of the many Republicans trying to remove votes for Obama the idea that trying to remove this woman's dying wish from the votes counted would be anything other than a horrifyingly sick and inhuman desecration of the principles of democracy.
No offense, that is, provided you just didn't take the time to think that through before you posted it. If you did, and posted it hoping to encourage the invalidation of her vote, then 'shame on you' is wholly inadequate to express the feeling that would generate.
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