Community Corner

Former Freeholder and Prominent Hobokenite Maurice Fitzgibbons Dies

Fitzgibbons passed away after he was hospitalized on Sunday night.

Former Hudson Freeholder Maurice Fitzgibbons, known for his support of the arts, involvement in Hoboken politics and always the host of great parties, has died. He was 57.

A week ago, Fitzgibbons was hospitalized at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan.

Fitzgibbons has been involved with Hoboken politics since the early seventies. He was also known for throwing great parties, his love for the arts and his involvement with the Democratic Committee. Fitzgibbons served as Hudson County Freeholder for 15 years, until he decided not to run again in 2008.

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Last month, Fitzgibbons—born and raised in Hoboken—was reappointed to the New Jersey Council of the Arts by Gov. Chris Christie.

Since his tenure as freeholder, Fitzgibbons ran Fitzmedia, a pr-firm based in the Hoboken Business Center. In his office, which housed many paraphernalia from his long career and involvement in Hoboken, hang a big, autographed photo of one of the events he proudly organized: a rally for U.S. Senator Bob Menendez with Barack Obama in November 2006.

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His successor and current freeholder Anthony Romano said he was honored to follow in the footsteps of "such a distinguished leader of the community."

"He loved Hoboken and he loved people," Romano said.

City Clerk Jimmy Farina said he first worked with Fitzgibbons when he ran Farina's campaign for school board in 1974.

"He was very skillful," Farina said about Fitzgibbons.

In Farina's office lies a 1985 copy of an issue of the Hudson Reporter with a picture of a young Maurice Fitzgibbons on the cover. The picture was taken on election night in 1985, when Fitzgibbons worked as former mayor Capiello's campaign manager.

"I have been meaning to give this to him," Farina said, about the story appropriately titled "the end of an era."

Mayor Dawn Zimmer and U.S. Senator Robert Menendez also released statements remembering Fitzgibbons.

The former freeholder was also known for his involvement in local politics. A close ally to former mayor Steven Capiello in the 1970s and 1980s, he most recently supported Tim Occhipinti for city council and Ruben Ramos for state assembly.

Maurice was like family to me, but more so than anything, he was a mentor and a true guide," Ramos said in a statement.

Fitzgibbons is survived by his two brothers, Thomas and Jude as well as his mother Josephine.


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