Robert A. Fletcher
Robert A. Fletcher, longtime resident of Warwick, NY, passed away peacefully at home on Feb. 14, 2023 with his loving family by his side. He was 91 years old.
Bob was born in North Haledon, NJ on Aug. 3, 1931 to Adam and Kittie (Roon) Fletcher.
At a very young age, Robert showed talent in both drawing and painting. For special holidays, the teacher allocated space on the blackboard for Robert to illustrate seasonal illustrations. Bob was class president all four years at Hawthorne Regional High School while taking Art Design as his major for college preparatory classes. After attending Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, and receiving an Associate degree, he enlisted as a soldier in the U.S. Army in 1953.
He was a Corporal in the U.S. Army. He completed his Infantry training at Fort Dix, NJ. He was then attached to the 1240 Military Police on Governors Island, NYC for six months. He then served in the 60th Infantry Regiment in Heilbronn, Germany. While in the 28th Infantry Division S3 section, he was part of the mapping team that prepared the maps to defend the eastern border of West Germany against Soviet aggression during the Cold War. This mapping was linked up to the complete eastern front bordering Russia, East Germany, and Poland.
After an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 1955, Bob became the assistant art director at the Conti Advertising Agency in Ridgewood, NJ in 1955. Then in 1960, along with a partner, he formed Fletcher and Daniels Advertising. After this, Bob joined two other partners to form the advertising agency Fletcher-Walker-Gessell, Inc. in Midland Park, NJ in 1966. Bob retired from FWG in 1986.
He devoted most of his retirement to painting in the studio at his farm in Warwick. In 2000, he exhibited his military paintings in the Rotunda at the House of Representatives in Washington, DC. He was once again invited to exhibit the 21 military paintings in 2002, this time in the Rotunda at the Senate Office Building. Both exhibits were highly acclaimed by the military and government officials.
The Fletcher family went on to publish three books independently. The first book Remembrance is an illustrated history of all America’s wars and soldiers, veterans, and their families. There is a focus on depictions of military funerals. Jeeps at War is a children’s historical picture book on the origin of the Willys Jeep and how it was used in wartime. High Breeze: An American Family Farm is a richly illustrated oral history of Luther Barrett and the Barrett family farm in Vernon, NJ. It is a vivid example of 19th century American farm life.
Bob was an active member in the American Legion Post 214, Warwick, as well as the VFW Post 4662. He was a dedicated member of the Heritage Reformed Congregation in Kinnelon, NJ. where he had served as a church elder.
Throughout his long life, Bob was well loved by all who knew him. His positive attitude and patient, gentle, warm, and generous spirit was never withheld from anyone he met. Bob enjoyed sitting at the kitchen table observing nature with his beloved wife Betty, reminiscing about the many completed projects and improvements on the farm over the years, and enjoying the simple pleasures of watching “geese on the pond” while commenting on “what a nice day today” regardless of the weather. Bob’s life example of “loving God above all and your neighbor as yourself” provided a wonderful, stable background for his wife and children. Together, Bob and Betty were able to enjoy the fruits of their labor from the many years they spent together, including lovingly raising their children and building the farm and home of their dreams. His life was truly a “remarkable” one in all ways.
Bob is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Elizabeth (Breeman) Fletcher; daughter Brenda Van Sluys and her husband Gary of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada; son Douglas Fletcher and his wife Yvonne of Cornwall, NY; daughter Jane Daly and her husband Terence of Vernon, NJ; and son Robert Fletcher and longtime partner Laura Herbert of Erving, MA. Eight grandchildren: Cheryl Herder and husband Chase, Daniel Van Sluys, Emily Klassen and husband Abe; James Fletcher, Lauren Fletcher; Thomas Naples, Kim Naples, Eric Naples, and six great-grandchildren: Rhett, Chip, Wade, and Beau Herder; Alison and Theodore Klassen.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 from 4 to 7:00 p.m. at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick, NY. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home followed by interment in the Warwick Cemetery.
The family would like to thank the Warwick Community Ambulance Service, and the Warwick Police Department, and the Castle Point Veterans Health Administration for all of their help.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bob’s memory to any of the following:
Warwick American Legion, Post 214 PO Box 49, Warwick, NY 10990.
Warwick VFW Post 4662, 154 Rt. 94 South, Warwick, NY 10990.
Come Over & Help, 5355 Northland Drive NE, Suite C #113, Grand Rapids, MI 49525.
Arrangements were made by Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick, NY. To send an online condolence, visit www.lsvpmemorialhome.com.