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Photo of Merle "Flash" Fletcher

Merle "Flash" Fletcher

12/29/1921 - 7/1/2013


Obituary


Merle “Flash” Fletcher, 91, of Clarion passed away Monday, July 1, 2013 at his home at Lake Cornelia.

Funeral services for Flash Fletcher will be held on Friday, July 5, 2013 at 11:00 AM at the United Church of Christ Congregational in Clarion with Pastor Bill Kem officiating.  Burial will be at Graceland Cemetery in Rowan.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 4, 2013 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East, in Clarion and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.

Merle Dean "Flash" Fletcher was born on December 29, 1921 to Gaylord and Grace (Fitz) Fletcher on the family farm near Rowan, Iowa.  He attended Clarion High School and graduated in 1940.  He worked for Ed Whitman in the Teenie Weenie grocery store and later for Glenn Barker in the D-X gas station, which he later came to own.  He served his country in the Navy from September 3, 1942 thru January 12, 1946, serving on multiple vessels and stations.  He married Darlene Ellen Groom on September 19, 1948 and they were married for over 62 years.

Flash owned and operated the D-X station/Fletcher Oil Company for 40 plus years. He was known for his trademark front bumper on his tank truck "Here Comes Flash" and ran the tank truck from December of 1950 until his retirement in 1987.  On his tank truck route, he was known to give tootsie rolls to all the kids of his customers.  He also drove school bus for 18 years.  After retirement he took up the game of golf, which he thoroughly enjoyed.  He and Darlene wintered in Weslaco, Texas for over 20 years. Coffee time and Happy Hour were fun times!

His many hobbies included bowling, motorcycles, boating, sailing and water skiing on Lake Cornelia.  He enjoyed teaching his children and grandchildren how to ski.  His uncle Kenneth developed a "saucer" and they were expert at this, sitting and standing on a chair on this flat board pulled behind a boat around and around the lake.   For several years in their early marriage, Darlene and Flash belonged to an AMA motorcycle club: Ghost Town Ramblers. During their membership in the club they made several trips on their own and with other members around the country.

Flash was a 50 year plus member of the United Church of Christ, Congregational in Clarion and served as an usher and on many boards.  He enjoyed noodle making and helping with the yearly church bazaar.  He was also a 67 year member of the American Legion.

Merle (Flash) is survived by his children; Sara (Dale) Smith, Tim (Shelley) Fletcher, Jim (Cindy) Fletcher and John (Kathy) Fletcher. He has 15 grandchildren:   David (Jenny) Smith, Andrea Anderson, Benjamin Fletcher Foster, Hannah Fletcher Foster, Shannon (Todd) Lerdal, TJ (Jessica) Fletcher, Courtney (Greg) Lehrman, Eugene Waage, Beth (Terry Hatfield) Waage, Dustin Waage, Nicole (Josh) Askvig, Rachel Fletcher, Kama (Dr. Galaxy) Rasmussen-Li, Ben Rasmussen and Noel Rasmussen.  16 Great Grandchildren; Sister, Mildred (Eddie) Rollins of Anaheim, California;  Sister-in-law, Margrete Jones of Dows; brothers-in-law, Tom (Edna) Groom of Belmond and Dwight (Marjorie) Groom of Rowan, along with numerous nieces and nephews, other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife Darlene; his parents, and a brother- in-law, Ordean Jones.