Fletcher, John Walter

John W. Fletcher, 85, died peacefully early Saturday morning, February 5, 2011 at his home. John is survived by his beloved and devoted wife of 56 years, Sarah Weatherly Fletcher; two sons, John W. Fletcher III, of Charlotte, North Carolina, his wife, Karen, and their daughter Johannah Jordan; Charles R. Fletcher, of Gibson, North Carolina and his daughter, Carrie Jane; daughter in law, Cynthia Edwards, and her sons, John Weatherly Fletcher and Matthew Riley Fletcher. John was preceded in death by his beloved son, David Riley Fletcher, and six sisters, Frances Fletcher, Edith McArthur, Nell Fletcher, Lula Beth Fletcher, Dorothy Buchanon, and Helen Manion. He was born August 29, 1925 in Marlboro County, South Carolina to parents John and Mamie Fletcher. John attended school in McColl, South Carolina, graduating in 1942. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, honorably serving his country for thirty months in the South Pacific theater and seeing combat action at Okinawa. After the conclusion of the war, John remained in Japan until 1946, earning an honorable discharge. John enrolled at Clemson University in September of 1946 and graduated in June of 1949. He was a lifelong Tiger and closely followed and supported Clemson sports, in good times and bad. After his graduation from Clemson, John accepted a position with McNair Seed Company in Laurinburg, North Carolina, and Northrup King company, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he spent over thirty years developing various hybrids and varieties of corn for the farming industry. Many of John‘s hybrids remain in production today in farms across the country. After retirement, John enjoyed playing golf, vacations at the beach with his family, reading, and watching the Atlanta Braves play. Until recently he was a regular at the “Morning Drinking Club”, where he shared coffee, birthday cakes, and great fellowship with his friends. For 57 years, John was a faithful member of First United Methodist Church, in Laurinburg, North Carolina, serving as chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Pastor-Parish Committee and President of his Sunday School class. John loved his church. The family is most grateful to Hospice, John‘s doctors at Duke University Hospital, and to all others who have been caregivers and have shown him kindness. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church officiated by the Revs. Ralph Brown and Nancy Willard. Burial will follow in Beaver Dam Cemetery, McColl, SC. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Monday at the McDougald Funeral Home and Crematorium. In lieu of flowers, it was John‘s request that any memorial contributions be made to the First United Methodist Church, 101 W. Church St., Laurinburg, NC 28352 or to Hospice of Scotland County, PO Box 1033, Laurinburg, NC 28353.