July 14, 2006
A proud predecessor passes on
I'm sad to report that A.K. Fletcher, publisher of the Dryden Rural News, painter, writer, and yes, a proud Democrat, passed away this morning in Florida. I'm very glad to have met him last summer when he was visiting, and the Rural News is a model I've kept in mind while working on this site.
A. K. Fletcher talking with Elsie Gutchess.
Fletcher, usually called Fletch, was 98. If you need some entertaining reading about life in Dryden (and elsewhere), the Dryden Town Historical Society has his memoirs (and many of his paintings).
I hear there will be an obituary soon and a service in September.
Posted by simon at July 14, 2006 05:36 PMNote on photos
Comments
A.K. -Fletch- Fletcher was a remarkable man. He made a career in Dryden and even after retirement, continued to be interested in this community. His was a long, interesting, varied, and useful life.
I am told that on July 4, 2006, at age 98, he went with his friends in Florida to a parade where he had a keylime creme filled donut, and then went to fireworks at night. Sadly. his legs gave way on him aferwards. His family doctor recommended that he be moved to hospicare, where he passed away peacefully.
I know we will miss Fletch, but indeed we would all be fortunate if we could function up to his level until only a few days of our own deaths.
Let's remember him in our prayers.
Posted by: Mike Lane | July 15, 2006 02:03 PM
A great loss. We had not seen him in a couple of years but I thought of him quite often. What I learned, saw and observed in the basement Tompkins County
Rural News and later in the new building set me on quite a road in printing and newspapers.
Posted by: Dick Wyckoff | July 25, 2006 10:40 AM