Antoinette C. (Toni) Fletcher

Antoinette C. (Toni) Fletcher, age 96 of York, died Wednesday, September 8, 2004 at York of natural causes. She was born March 31 1908 at Mount Vernon, MO to Albert A. and Hilda C. (Hilgerson) Smith. Toni was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church in York and had been a member of Eastern Star and Daughters of the Nile. She worked for many years as a bookkeeper and stenographer for Russ Williams in York. On January 1, 1947 she married LeRoy R (Russ) Fletcher at Bellville, KS. They lived and traveled in many parts of the US, where Russ practiced as a pharmacist, finally settling in York where they owned the Fletcher drugstore for many years. They especially enjoyed their vacations with family members to the mountains of Colorado. Her family will miss her annual Christmas packages of home made “scramble” Christmas cookies and her famous chocolate balls. Toni was a gutsy woman who exhibited the independence of mind and strength of will so cherished by later generations, but which was before her time. In her 80’s, she traveled to London and the San Francisco Bay area to visit her grandchildren and her stepson, Kenneth Fletcher. In her 90’s, she traveled regularly to Missoula, Montana to continue those visits.

Toni is survived by Kenneth Fletcher of Belmont, CA, daughters-in-law Shirley Fletcher of Roseville, CA and Pat Fletcher of Covina, CA. She was the beloved grandmother of Russ Fletcher and Alexis Volkerts of Missoula, MT, Jim and Lynn Fletcher of Los Altos Hills, CA, Lorraine Vincent of Carmichael, CA, and Kenneth Lee and Sally Fletcher of LaVern, CA. She was also the great-grandmother of Chelsea Volkerts, Kemble, Spencer and Kimberly Fletcher, and James and Michael Vincent. She was blessed with Russ’s cousins, Donna Stephens and Marilyn Robson as her local family. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband, stepson, Richard and her brother, Albert (Garland) Smith. We can only hope that we will all have as wonderful a life as Toni enjoyed. Her indomitable spirit will be deeply missed.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, September 14, 2004 at 2:00 pm at the Metz Chapel in York with the Rev. Jeff Wulf officiating. Visitation will begin Monday at 9:00 am at Metz. Graveside services will be held at the Kimball Cemetery in Kimball, NE at 2:00 pm Wednesday. Memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church at York.