Obituary: Henry P. Fletcher, 89 WWII, Korean War Veteran

Henry P. Fletcher, 89, of Newport died Monday, April 20, 2015 at Grand Islander Health Care Center of Middletown, RI.

Born April 13, 1926 in Newport, RI, he was the son of the late Henry P. Fletcher, Jr. and Anne H. (Ryder) Fletcher.

Mr. Fletcher graduated from Rogers High School and enlisted in the United States Army Signal Corps in 1944, serving in WWII, the Occupation of Germany, and the Korean Conflict. He served in the Berlin Airlift of 1948. Upon his retirement from the military in 1967, he returned with his family to Newport and began his second career as an ROTC instructor at Rogers High School, where he retired in 1989. To the many young men and women that he mentored, and with whom he stayed in touch, he was affectionately known as “Sarge.”

In his youth, Mr. Fletcher was a member of the St. George’s Church, Newport and more recently a member of St. Mary’s Church, Portsmouth. Among many other organizations, Mr. Fletcher was active over the years with the Newport County Retired Teachers Association, the Memorial Park Commission of the City of Newport, the Newport Rifle Club, the Bristol Train of Artillery, the Artillery Company of Newport and the Aquidneck Land Trust.

Mr. Fletcher was predeceased in 2000 by Ingeborg Fletcher, his beloved wife of 52 years. He is survived by his son Carlton H. Fletcher, and his daughter-in-law Elizabeth Miles, of Washington, DC; and by his daughter Edith Fletcher, and his son-in-law Robert Cornett, of Newport. He also leaves behind numerous cousins of the Ryder family, including Dr. Christine Ryder Swager of Moore, SC, and Shirley Ryder Downey of St. Stephen, New Brunswick.

Calling hours will be held on Friday, April 24, 2015, from 4-7pm, in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.

His funeral will be held on Monday, April 27, 2015, at 10:00am, in St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 324 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI

Burial with Military Honors will follow in Newport Memorial Park, Howland Avenue, Middletown.

His family would like to express their gratitude to the staff, nurses and nurse assistants at the Grand Islander Center as well as those of the VNS of Newport & Bristol Counties for their dedicated service, aid and comfort to Henry.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either: Newport County Retired Teachers Association, 15 Oliver Hazard Perry Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871, Scholarship Fund; or, Visiting Nurse Services of Newport & Bristol Counties, 1184 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871.