Wahkiakum Eagle-February 1998 FLETCHER, Howard W. Age 79, died in Longview. He was a former resident of Cathlamet and Skamokawa. He was born in Jamaica, New York where he graduated from Jamaica High school. He married Mildred Ronca on August 16, 1942 in Queens Village, Long Island, N.Y. He served in the US Air Force in WWII and the Korean War. He continued in the Air Force for 15 years and was a Master Sergeant. He was a radio operator on planes. In 1957 the Fletcher family moved to Santa Monica, Calif., where he received a degree from City College. He worked as an electronic engineer for GTE until he retired in 1985. After his retirement the Fletchers lived in Sun City, Calif., in the mid-80;s and in Washington state the past 10 years. His hobbies included golfing, fishing, rock hounding and lapidary. He was an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, the Knights of Columbus, the Longview Elks and the Sun City Italian club. Survivors include his wife, Mildred, of Longview; a son, Sunrise Fletcher of Skamokawa; a brother, Earl of Melbourne, Fla.; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Barbara Johnson; a brother, Jack and his parents, Howard W. and Mary Fletcher. Funeral services were held Wednesday from the Dowling Funeral Chapel with Rev. Irene Martin officiating. Dowling Funeral Home was in charge. Fern Hill Cemetery-Skamokawa, Wa. 03 Sep 1918-08 Feb. 1998 (As transcribed by the Wahkiakum County Historical Society 2005 from original newspaper collection.)