Russell Fitzgerald, bank president and civic leader

When Steve Fitzgerald was a sophomore in 1974-75 at Malvern Prep, Russell E. Fitzgerald did more than lend support as his father.

"Malvern was having a lot of financial difficulties" at the time, Steve said, so parents met with school officials "and discussed the future of the school."

The result was the first Building a Scholastic Heritage (BASH) event in May 1975, a dinner and fund-raiser for which Russell Fitzgerald was named chairman in 1974. Mr. Fitzgerald was president of Continental Bank from 1971 to 1984.

In 2014, Steve said, Malvern Prep honored Mr. Fitzgerald and his wife, Frances, at an event marking the 40th anniversary of BASH and their work "in helping to keep Malvern open."

On Wednesday, March 2, Mr. Fitzgerald, 85, of Galloway, who retired in 1986 as vice chairman of Continental Bank, died of congestive heart failure at his home.

A resident of Galloway since 2002, Mr. Fitzgerald had lived in Brigantine, N.J., after moving from Gladwyne in 1987.

Born in the Ardsley section of Abington, Mr. Fitzgerald graduated from Abington High School in 1948 and years later took evening classes at La Salle University.

Though without a college degree, his son said, Mr. Fitzgerald became "president of the bank when he was 40 years old." He was the personification, his son said, of "the American dream."

After working briefly at Northwestern National Bank in 1950, he was an Army cryptographer in West Germany during his service from 1951 to 1954.

He returned to Northwestern and, after its merger into Broad Street Trust, he became in 1960 a Broad Street vice president.

In 1963, he studied in New Brunswick, N.J., at what is now the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania.

And after another merger formed Continental in 1965, Mr. Fitzgerald became an executive vice president there in 1968 and president in 1971.

Among his honors, both in 1976, Sigma Pi fraternity at St. Joseph's University named him its Man of the Year and the Jewish National Fund named him its Bicentennial Man of the Year, his son said.

In 1981, Variety Club International gave him its International President's Award, his son said. Mr. Fitzgerald was a former president and chairman of the Variety Club of Philadelphia.

Penny Schalch, who retired in 1991 as manager of administrative services for Bell Atlantic in Philadelphia, recalled Mr. Fitzgerald for their shared volunteer work with Variety Club.

"He was one of the finest and kindest and most fun men to be around," she said.

Among other former responsibilities, he was a member of the board of education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and a trustee at Rosemont College and Malvern Prep.

Beside his son and wife, Mr. Fitzgerald is survived by sons Russ and Joe, daughters Sue Groth and Beth Petti, three sisters, and nine grandchildren.

A viewing was set from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 5, at St. John Vianney Church, 350 Conshohocken State Rd., Gladwyne, with a Funeral Mass there at 11 a.m. Burial is to be in Calvary Cemetery, Conshohocken.

Donations may be sent to the Variety Club Camp, Box 609, Worcester, Pa. 19490.

Condolences may be offered to the family at McConaghy Funeral Home, 328 W. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, Pa. 19003.

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