FIRE RAVAGES HOME OF GARY AND MARCIA FLETCHER

March 7, 2010 Des Moines Register

Fire ravages Glen Oaks home; family narrowly escapes
By TOM WITOSKY twitosky@dmreg.com

A fire destroyed the Glen Oaks home of Gary and Marcia Fletcher on Friday night and nearly claimed the couple as victims.

Gary Fletcher rammed his SUV through the garage door at his 1203 Burr Oaks Drive home to allow the couple and their dogs to escape as flames engulfed the home. He said a power outage in the house made his electronic garage door opener unusable.
"There have been times that I am really glad that my SUV is like a tank," Gary Fletcher said Saturday morning. "This is one of those times again."

Fletcher, a long-time financial advisor in Des Moines, has also been the radio color commentator for broadcasts of the Iowa Barnstormers arena football team.
Fletcher, an all-star football player at the University of Iowa in the 1960s, also played an instrumental role in bringing the Barnstormer franchise back to Des Moines after a six-year hiatus.

"I have to admit that I felt panic like I have never felt it before," Fletcher said.
Fletcher said that he fears he lost a lot of memorabilia from his years as a football player, as well as part-owner and radio broadcaster for the Iowa Barnstormers.

"I know there was a lot of it down in the basement. I am afraid a lot of it is gone," Fletcher said.

West Des Moines fire officials said that the home had flames shooting through the roof when they arrived about six minutes after being dispatched.

Fire officials said that the fire was reported about 11:30 p.m. and that the home - assessed at $432,600 - was destroyed.

Fletcher said that he was sleeping and his wife woke him after she heard smoke detectors in the home.

"I never heard the smoke detectors," Fletcher said. "Thankfully, Marcia did."

An investigation of the cause of the fire is continuing, according to Don Cox, West Des Moines fire chief.

KATHERINE FLETCHER SHREVES and THE QUIET MAN

The Quiet Man 1952 - Paving tile at the entrance to the administration offices of CBS Studios. Photo for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2010 by Jerry Fecht
One of the most loved films of its era, The Quiet Man, directed by John Ford was considered a big financial risk for Republic Studios. High action films and western movies were Republic’s bread and butter money makers, and a high profile romantic drama was a significant departure for the studios.
To give The Quiet Man’s investors some security for their investment, the main performers and director of the film were contracted to make a western, the Rio Grande before making the Irish love story.
The Quiet Man was directed by John Fold and starred a beloved cast including: John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald, Victor McLaglen and Ward Bond to name just a few.
The great film composer Victor Young was chosen by John Ford to create The Quiet Man’s musical score. To our family’s everlasting delight, Katherine Fletcher Shreves was Republic Studio’s principal cellist for the film. We have a 78 recording on which the orchestra plays the dear old Irish song, “The Wild Colonial Boy”, after which is ambient sound pause and Victor Young said, “Oh Katherine, that was so beautiful.”
Jerry Fecht
PS – If you haven’t seen The Quiet Man, it has the penultimate fistfight between the actors John Wayne and Victor McLaglen. What a movie!

NANCY FLETCHER' MOTHER BETTY JEAN ZIMMERMAN PASSES AWAY

Betty Jean (Todd) Zimmerman(1922 - 2010)
Betty Jean Zimmerman passed away on January 26, 2010, in Lodi, at the age of 87, surrounded by her family.
A life-long resident of Lodi, Betty was born on December 29, 1922, to Harvey Oliver and Estella Elouise (Low)
Todd. She attended local schools and graduated from Lodi Union High School in 1941. She worked as an
administrative assistant in banking for twenty-six years, retiring in 1985, from First Interstate Bank. Betty was a
member of the Wednesday Club, Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, several bridge clubs, Business and Professional
Women, Money Bags and the San Joaquin County Historical Society. She was an avid reader and was very
active with her friends and family. She was a gracious and wonderful mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother.
Her love and care for her family will be so very missed.
Betty is survived by her children: Tod Carl Zimmerman of Lodi, Peggy Lynn (John ) Trede of Stockton and Nancy
Kay (John) Fletcher of Port Hueneme, CA; one granddaughter, Renee Jean (Dennis) Riddlesperger of Galt; two greatgranddaughters,
Brittany Nicole and Kristie Anne Riddlesperger of Galt; two sisters, Hazel Houston of Lodi and Mabel Keir of
Modesto; one brother, Leslie Todd of Lodi. She was preceded in death by her baby sister, Grace Lorena Todd.
Friends are invited to visit Monday from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon at Lodi Funeral
Home.
A chapel service will be held on Tuesday, February 2nd at 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Committal will be private. A virtual
register book may be signed at www.lodifuneralhome.com where memories can be shared. Lodi Funeral Home is assisting the
family with the arrangements.
Published in LodiNews from January 29 to February 5, 2010

ALEXANDER REED RUAN FLETCHER

Alexander Reed Ruan Fletcher was born in May of 2009. He is the brother of Elizabeth Howe Fletcher and the son of Amanda and Jonathan Fletcher. The family lives in Des Moines, Iowa.

ELIZABETH HOWE FLETCHER

Virginia Fletcher with her great grand daughter, Elizabeth Howe Fletcher. In 2009, Elizabeth was 3 years old. She lives with her parents, Jonathan and Amanda Fletcheer in Des Moines, Iowa.

LINLEY BUNN FLETCHER

A joyous welcome to our family to Linley Bunn Fletcher. Here she is shown at 19 months old with her Great Grandmother Virginia Fletcher of Des Moines, Iowa. Linley lives with her parents Stephen and Nancy Fletcher in Chicago, Illinois.

OCTOBER A TIME OF MYSTERY IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

All Hallows Tree at the home of Janne and Jerry Fecht in Tarzana.