William Fletcher |
| Posted 2009-11-29 by Janet Bowie |
| Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ, Friday, January 25, 1952 MASONIC RITES CONDUCTED FOR DR. WM. FLETCHER WHO PASSED AWAY JANUARY 17 AT HIS REMUDA RANCH HOME Wickenburg Masons conducted full Masonic Rites at the funeral of Dr. William Fletcher, held at noon last Saturday at the Wickenburg Chapel. Dr. Charles S. Poling, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, delivered the funeral sermon. Dr. Fletcher passed away Thursday afternoon, January 17, at his home at Remuda Ranch which he founded, with his son-in-law, the late Jack Burden, in 1925. Dr. Fletcher, who would have been 74 years of age March 4 of this year, had gone to his ranch up the river Thursday morning as usual to see his horses. When he returned to Remuda, he complalined of not feeling well and a doctor was called. He was not believed to be critically ill, but passed away quietly at 5 o'clock. YOUNGEST GRADUATE Having made his home here most of the time during the past 27 years, Dr. Fletcher was well known and highly respected. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, attended Brown University and studied medicine at the Harvard Medical School from which he was graduated in 1900-the youngest graduate, up to that time, from the Harvard institution. Following his graduation, he practiced medicine for eight years in Atlanta, Georgia. CAME HERE IN 1925 Returning to Providence in 1908, he entered the real estate business in which he was eminently successful. He first came to Wickenburg with members of his family in 1925 and joined with Jack Burden in founding and developing Remuda Ranch, which has become one of the best known guest ranches in the Southwest. Dr. Fletcher was active in the Masonic Lodge. He was a 32nd degree Mason, Past Master of his lodge in Providence, past High Priest of the Royal Arch Masons, a knight Templar and a Shriner. THE SURVIVORS He is survived by his widow, who was Clementine Pearce Whitford, before their marriage in 1900; two daughters, Mrs Sophie Burden, present owner of Remuda Ranch, and Mrs Vance White of Flagstaff; and two sons, John D. Fletcher, manager of Remuda and William Fletcher, Jr., of Barrington, R. I., who manages the Fletcher Realty Co., in Providence which Dr. Fletcher founded and was president of at the time of his death. Also surviving are a niece, Helen Webster Pierpont of Providence; seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Honorary pallbearers at the funeral were W. S. Thurber, Lewis C. White, Robert Elwell and William Bass. Also Ted Wood and H. D. Cooke, Jr., both past masters of the Masonic Lodge here. See Also: Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates |
Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.
Questions About This Project?