Marion Fletcher

Marion G. Fletcher was born November 15, 1920, in Red Springs, North Carolina, to William Jasper and Minnie McNair Fletcher. He was raised and educated in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. In 1938, he graduated from Booker T. Washington High School as valedictorian. He went on to matriculate at Shaw University but his studies were cut short when he was drafted into the army in 1940. Once discharged from the army, he settled in Baltimore, Maryland where he and his wife, Elizabeth Valdona Hyman, were blessed with six children, Roland, Sylvia, Jonathan (who died in infancy), Keith and Kenneth (twins), and Lynette. He later married the former Thelma Hoyt and had one daughter, Cassandra from that union.Marion Fletcher was the “first” in many ways. He was the first African-American to become maintenance supervisor with the Baltimore City Housing Authority. He was one of the first African-American graduates of Radar School in the U.S. Army Aircorp in 1944.He was a great philosopher and accomplished writer sharing his thoughts and feelings about love and life with others.He inspired his family and friends with his unwavering faith in God. He was a long standing, devoted member of Waters A.M.E. Church and faithful supporter of Church of God Ministries, where his granddaughter, Reverend Nina Bazemore is Pastor.Marion Fletcher was very active during his membership at Waters AME Church. He was a Sunday School teacher, Chaplan of the Lay Organization and a Senior Stewart. He received many awards from his church family, two of which are the Water’s Best Award and “Man of the Year” on Men’s Day in 1993. Mr. Fletcher also made numerous “physical contributions” to the church. He painted many areas on the building, built prayer boxes and book stands, instituted partitions in the Sunday School areas of the undercroft, collected distributed food for the needy, visited the sick and shut in and many other selfless acts.He leaves to mourn their loss: three sons, Roland, Keith, and Kenneth Fletcher; three daughters, Sylvia Brooks, Lynette and Cassandra Fletcher, two daughters-in-law, Yvonne and Arlette Fletcher; eleven grandchildren, Nina, Michele, Edith, Mona, Marcia, Josie, Denitra, Andrea, Marcus, Joel, and Josh; eleven great grand children, Kevin, Michael, Keshawna, Brandon, John, Rachel, Andre, Dominick, Justin, Crystel, and Danielle; two brothers, Russell and William J. Fletcher, one sister-in-law Joyce Fletcher; a beloved niece Dorothy Pittman, and host of other nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

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Marion Fletcher

November 15, 1920 - June 9, 2003