Bob was born on 11/26/35 in Columbus Ohio to Robert L. Fletcher and Helen Fletcher. He graduated with honors from Linden McKinley High School and graduated in 1957 from the Ohio State University with a B.S. in Chemistry. He continued studying medicine and graduated from the Ohio State University in 1963 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. He interned at Grant Hospital in Columbus and did his residency at University Hospital OSU. He served his country for 7 years in the Ohio Army National Guard Reserve medical unit and rose to the rank of Major. In 1983, Bob became board certified in Occupational Medicine. He was awarded the title of “Fellow of the American College of Occupational Medicine in 1984.” Bob enjoyed a long career in family medicine in Columbus, Ohio and upon moving to North Carolina, took a position as Medical Director with Med One Urgent Care in Fayetteville. Afterwards, he spent many years with Doctor’s Urgent Care in Raleigh and went into private practice for the rest of his career, retiring in 2008.
Growing up, Bob enjoyed playing basketball in high school, and once he went to his first football game at OSU, he became a devoted Buckeye and did not miss a game for 40 years. He loved horses and would go to the race track at Cedar Downs, where he became the track Physician. He was an avid gardener, and his family had a beautiful garden with abundant fruits and vegetables they would sell to neighbors and friends during WWII. Bob and his brother Jon raised prize winning roosters, and they won many accolades at the Ohio State Fair, and other state fairs across the country. Bob had a dairy farm in Ohio and raised prize winning Jersey cows and bulls.
Bob and Karen met in 2008 after losing their spouses to cancer. They were introduced at a social gathering in Raleigh, became friends, and soon, friendship turned to love. They were married at the Raleigh Moravian Church, and Bob became a member there. Bob enjoyed sitting with his grandchildren in church, because they would cut up together and have fun. They enjoyed traveling, entertaining, gardening, being grandparents, and meeting their neighbors in Hidden Valley West. They adopted their darling dog Sparky who was their loyal companion for the next 13 years. They took many wonderful trips together, some of the highlights were Nova Scotia, The Black Hills, Alaska, The Greenbrier, Caribbean cruises, and the beaches of NC. They became active supporters of the Duke Cancer Institute, honoring their former spouses.
He is preceded in death by his parents Robert and Helen Fletcher, sister Sue Fletcher, and former wife Sarah Johnson Fletcher.
He is survived by his wife Karen Marie Chaney Fletcher, brother Jon Fletcher, stepchildren Emma Davis (Dan), Andrew Kauffman, Linda Bush, Owen Henderson, and several loving grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to express their gratitude to Dr. Amish Patel, Deborah Orr, and the administrators and staff at Springmoor and the Stewart Health Center for their loving care during Bob’s time there.
There will be a Memorial Service to honor his life at Raleigh Moravian Church (1816 Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC) on February 24th at 11:30AM.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in Bob’s honor to the Springmoor Endowment Fund (1500 Sawmill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27615), and/or the Raleigh Moravian Church.
Services are being provided by Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's St. Raleigh, NC.
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