TONI "FLORA" FLETCHER

TONI "FLORA" FLETCHER, 75, departed this life on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, at Parkview Hospital. She was born and raised in Atlanta, Ga., to a small and close knit family. The family moved to Detroit, Mich. in the 1960's, where the family's home was located mere blocks away from the famed Motown Records recording studio. Toni and her family would regularly see the famous recording stars of the day pulling up to the studio in their limousines. After several years in Detroit, Toni and her family eventually moved to Fort Wayne where she worked as a cake decorator for Roger's Market. An eventual change in careers brought Toni to work as a school bus driver for Fort Wayne Community Schools. She also worked as a driver for PTC (now Citilink) and the Council on Aging. She took great pride in caring for people in her community and making sure that people arrived where they needed to go safely and on time. In her youth, Toni was a passionate amateur photographer, even constructing her own home darkroom to better enjoy her craft. Toni loved sewing and often made her own clothes when she couldn't find the particular style she wanted from a store. An animal lover with a great affection for cats, Toni fostered and sheltered many cats throughout her lifetime. A lifelong music lover, she adored the music of Motown and the blues. BB King was her favorite artist. Toni is survived by her son, Norman Lamar Smith; sister, Lisa (Chris) Wells; nephew, Alex (Ashley) Wells; granddaughter, Ebony (Daniel) Bitner (Smith); grandson, Richard (Nakesha) Smith; great-granddaughter, Lyndzie Smith; and a host of friends and neighbors. A small, private ceremony for family and close friends is 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, at Ellis Funeral Home, with a walk-through viewing starting at 10 a.m. Interment in Lindenwood Cemetery. www.ellisfh.com