Thomas Fletcher ’35

Rector Emeritus of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in New Britain, Conn., Tom Fletcher died Jan. 12 at his home in nearby Farmington, where he had lived in active retirement since 1981. He was 75.

Born in N.Y.C., Tom was an English major at Princeton. Some years in merchandizing and sales management preceded and followed WWII naval service in the Pacific. Then, in 1950, Tom decided that Christianity was the most marketable product he had to sell, a decision influenced by a complete recovery from polio the previous year.

Graduating from Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Mass., he was ordained in 1953. He served in Larchmont, N.Y., and as rector of St. James Church in Cambridge before his call to New Britain in 1961.

During his 20-year ministry at St. Mark's, Tom won city-wide influence, chairing the New Britain Human Rights Committee and serving on the boards of the Human Resource Agency and the Community Council. In retirement he was scarcely less active, being a member of the Diocesan Peace Commission and interim rector of a number of Connecticut churches.

The Bishop of Connecticut Arthur Walmsley officiated at the crowded memorial service. He termed Tom "one of the outstanding clergy of his generation, universally respected and a man of extraordinarily diverse gifts." The Class was represented at the service by Sanford Ketchum and George Vondermuhll.

Surviving are his widow Louise (Love) Fletcher; son, Peter, of Moorestown, N.J.; daughter, Mrs. William (Mary) Pickering, of Farmington; and five grandchildren. Our hearts go out to them all.

The Class of 1935