Thomas “Tom” L. Fletcher, Nov. 23, 1952 – Jan. 13, 2010
Today, on Sunday, January 17, 2010, many of Tom Fletcher’s friends and family members normally would be playing poker and sharing good conversation and comraderie from noon until early evening – sometimes late evening.
But today, instead, we gather for Tom’s funeral.
Tom Fletcher enjoys himself at the 2009 Turtle Days Festival Cornhole Tournament, which Tom founded.
Today, we mourn.
* * *
Thomas “Tom” L. Fletcher was born on November 23, 1952 in Fort Wayne, to Jasper S. “Pete” and Mary T. (Gadomski) Fletcher. The family resided in Churubusco.
Tom grew up with two brothers, Jerry and Dan, and four sisters, Cindy, Cathy, Dee Dee and Missy. His family has a lot of fond memories of the Fletcher siblings – fishing, playing games, swimming, wrestling, hanging out – in general, just enjoying each other’s company. From the time he was a toddler, Tom was ornery, but good-natured, according to his siblings.
In high school, Tom and his then girlfriend and future wife, Cheryl, sometimes skipped school together. They would go to a friend’s house where they participated in Hookey Ping Pong. Tom would write the absence excuse for the two of them and then turn them into the principal’s office. The principal at that time, Jake Delegrange, one day noticed that the handwriting and notebook paper were exactly the same. He carefully placed the ragged edges of both notes together and they fit perfectly.
Busted!
Tom and Cheryl both got three extra days off from school – as Tom later told the story.
The Fletchers were well-known to most people in Churubusco mostly because, it seemed there there were just a whole lot of ‘em. The Fletcher boys were close in age, looked alike and were often mistaken for one another.
Tom with his two oldest daughters, Tonya and Tracey.
* * *
Tom graduated from Churubusco High School in 1972, and enlisted in the Marine Corps. He never talked about his military experiences, only to say that he never wanted to experience it again. When the Marine Corps recruiter approached Tom at the end of his enlistment period and tried to encourage him to reenlist, Tom was jovial, but unflinching.
“No,” he told them. “I’m done. I’m going home … to Churubusco, Indiana.”
Tom and Cheryl had two daughters, Tonya and Tracey, before they eventually parted ways. His first daughter, Tonya, was born in October 1972, followed by Tracey a year later. Tonya and Tracey both remember getting letters from their dad when he was in the service.
When the girls were in second and third grade, Tom married Anita, who also had two daughters, Shane and Stacy. Tom and Anita eventually had a daughter together in 1981, and named her Crystal.
Several years after that, Tom and Anita divorced and Tom took on the responsibility of raising all five daughters on his own.
“Five girls and one bathroom,” Tracey remembers. “Dad was a saint!”
He cared for and supported them and never differentiated between his daughters and his stepdaughters – he considered all of them “his girls.” When a close friend asked Tom why he was taking on the huge responsibility of raising girls that were not his “real”daughters, he frowned and replied simply, “Someone has got to love those kids.” And that was the end of it.
And love them he did. As far as they were concerned – he was their father. And later – their children were his grandchildren. At the time of his death, Tom had ten grandchildren that were the pride of his life.
His mother, Mary, summed it up, “In the Fletcher family, there was divorce, but we never really let it bother us or end our relationships – for the kids sake, we always tried to stay close and on friendly terms (with the exes).”
Tom got a job as a sheet metal worker at Schust Engineering in Fort Wayne, where he stayed for 25 years. At the time of his death, he was serving as a mentor to his nephew, who was an apprentice in the metal works trade. His widowed mother and another nephew lived with Tom at his home on Mulberry Street.
Tom sometimes liked to act gruff and he barked a lot, but everyone could see right through it – there was no bite at all – Tom’s heart was bigger than life.
Mary said she fixed her son dinner every night and every night without fail – even if it was a baloney sandwich – Tom would finish eating, get up, push his chair back up to the table and thank his mother for the great meal.
Tom doted on his grandchildren.
“We broke him into ‘Grandpahood’ very quickly,” said Tracey. “Shane, Stacy and I were all pregnant at the same time and due within two weeks of one another. Dad joked that he should be the one getting the hospital room.”
From the day his first grandchildren were born and seven grandchildren later, Tom’s life revolved around his grandchildren. He enjoyed nothing more than attending the grandkids’ sporting events, football, baseball and soccer games, as well as dance recitals.
* * *
Tom was kicked more than a few times in life – yet he never became bitter.
There was never a person in need – family, friends, co-workers or even strangers – who came to Tom that he did not offer his help and hospitality. If Tom had only five dollars in his wallet, he would undoubtedly hand it over to anyone in need – no questions asked.
Tom, back, center, with his siblings and mother. From left: Cathy, Cindy, Missy, his mother, Mary, and Dee Dee; in back with Tom are his brothers, Jerry and Dan.
And that’s not counting the times he unwillingly gave it away at the poker table.
His generous heart was doubly so for his family, of whom he was very proud. It was obvious whenever he spoke of his mother, his sisters and brothers, his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Tom’s passions included playing cards, gambling, ‘Busco High School football and the Indianapolis Colts.
One of Tom’s best friends, Bob Sade, said they grew up together and he has a lot of “Bob and Tom” stories, but he can’t tell them, as he is not quite sure if the statute of limitations has expired.
Tom would talk while playing cards with his friends and family – mostly about how every time he had a hand full of aces, and bet the max, someone – usually Pierre – would be holding a royal flush. Tom would get fed up when he was losing, take a long walk, come back, rejoin the game and say, “I can’t believe I lost with four aces. I’m back to lose some more money that I don’t have. Pierre, isn’t it time for you to go home?”
The group talked about many things while playing poker, unless the Colts were playing, and then no idle chatter was allowed. Otherwise the conversation covered the gamut: politics on a global scale – the Colts – family – politics on a local scale – Busco Eagles’ football – getting older – complaining of numerous body ailments because of getting older – the Colts – family – Busco Eagles’ football – corporate corruption, crime and greed – the Colts …
Tom Fletcher and his daughter, Tracey Bultemeier, both Turtle Days Board members, worked together at the 2008 and 2009 festivals.
Once, when the conversation focused on public officials in general – Tom immediately brought up his costly water bill and said he wish he knew someone on the Churubusco Town Council that had the guts to lower the rates, all the while looking meaningfully in the direction of another player, who was a member of the council.
About three years ago, Tom mentioned something that he thought should be done at the Churubusco Park. Tom was quickly persuaded to join the park board, since there happened to be an opening.
And, just like that, he became a public official and the target of the group’s political banter and razzing. Tom always joked that it was not so much about being a public servant but more about “all the graft,” one friend joked.
But it soon became very obvious that Tom Fletcher turned out to be a great selection … maybe one of the best ever.
* * *
Tom rarely – if ever – missed a meeting. He was full of ideas, but more than that, he was often seen working hands-on in the park right alongside Rick Krider, the park superintendent, on a project that he wanted to see completed.
So, officials did what they always do with anyone willing to serve and do it so magnanimously – they asked Tom to be on another board. He became a member of the Turtle Days Association Board of Directors and that group too, was blown away – and outdone – by Tom’s enthusiasm and work ethic.
For the first time in many years, the Turtle Days Festival made a profit and it was no coincidence that it was the same year Tom became a board member and Master Ticket Salesman Extraordinaire. The raffle ticket sale is one of the main fundraisers of the festival, and wherever anyone looked, there was Tom Fletcher carrying a stack of tickets and hawking them to the crowd. He sold thousands of tickets – all on his own.
Last year, board members were all sitting around the table, mulling over who should be named grand marshal of Turtle Days. It was the 60th anniversary of The Hunt for Oscar, and several local names were thrown into the hat, but none of them seemed like a good fit.
Tom said matter-of-factly, “Surely, you know who should be Grand Marshal?” And, when no one replied, he shouted, “Oscar!”
The others all looked at each other, stupefied. Not one of them had thought of the most logical name of all. It was a “duh” moment, and Tom could
Tom, at right, gets together with his brothers Jerry and Dan to croon a tune.
not help the wry smile that spread across his face.
Tom started the Turtle Days Annual Horseshoe & Cornhole Tournament, which grew rapidly in popularity in just two years. Now, it will become the Tom Fletcher Memorial Horseshoe & Cornhole Tournament.
* * *
His family has lost a beloved family member. Turtle Days has lost a great board member. The town and the park have lost a great advocate and a person willing to work hard to make the community a better place. His workplace has lost a great employee. The rest of us have lost a great friend.
Everyone who got to know Tom, could not help but smile. Tom’s grin was infectious. It was impossible not to like him.
As his brother Dan said when Tom was in the hospital, given little chance for recovery, “He’s not just my brother, he’s my best friend.”
And that’s the legacy he leaves, a hard-working man with a heart of gold that would have – and did – sacrificed everything for his family. And in the end, that’s all that really matters – the love of family and friends.
Tom was rich in both.
