Norman Fletcher

1937 - 2025

Norman Fletcher

February 17, 1937 - April 2, 2025

Fresno, California - Norman Fletcher passed away in Fresno, CA on April 2, 2025 at the age of 88, surrounded by his loving family. He was born February 17, 1937, near West Monroe, Louisiana, the second of seven children born to Arnold Vester and Jimmie Lee Fletcher. In 1947, the family moved to California and settled on the west side of Fresno, where they farmed cotton and owned and operated a country cafe. Norman was gifted academically and did well in school. After graduation from Roosevelt High School, he attended Fresno State, where in 1957 he first met a lovely foreign student from Norway, Ester Wiker. Whenever he told the story of their introduction, he said that his first words to Ester were "What are you doing here in California?" and she said, "I'm looking for a husband." And he said, "Well, look no further, here l am!" Norman and Ester married in 1960. They were both teaching in Barstow, California, when they welcomed their first daughter, Katharine. Shortly thereafter, Norman was accepted to Hastings Law School at University of California, San Francisco, and the young family relocated to San Francisco. Their daughter Kimberlee was born in San Francisco in 1964. When Norman graduated from Hastings in 1967, he moved his family back to the Fresno area, where he started his law career at the District Attorney's office. A few years later he partnered with attorney Eric K. Fogderude, creating the law firm Fletcher & Fogderude. Their partnership lasted until Norman retired, and they remained loyal friends until Eric's death in 2022.

Norman was a charter member of Sierra Sport and Racquet Club, where he enjoyed playing tennis and had many friendships. He coached the senior league until he was in his 80s. A world traveler, he went to Norway many times to visit Ester's family, as well as traveling all over Europe with Ester and the girls. In 1990, as president of the Fig Garden Rotary Club, he and Ester attended a conference in Australia. Norman was adored by his daughters and five grandchildren. He loved to take his grandkids to tennis tournaments, Fresno State football games, ski trips, and annual vacations to Shaver Lake. They always knew that when their grandpa took them out, they would be treated to the best of everything. Norman also loved to teach and mentor young people, and he was especially proud that he was the inspiration for his grandsons Jeff and Kyle to become lawyers. He was a dedicated student of history and genealogy, and spent 40 years researching his family back to 1750's Maryland.

Along with well-worn photos of his daughters and grandchildren, in his wallet he carried this passage from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam: "The moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on. Nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line. Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it."

Norman was preceded in death by five of his siblings. Sadly, last year he also lost his best friend of 75 years, Edward Fanucchi of Fresno, after which his family says he was never the same. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ester; brother Claude Fletcher and wife Trish of San Jose, California; daughter Katharine (Kay) Rosen of Los Angeles and husband Michael; grandson Jeff Rosen, wife Lyndsay, and their children Greer, Chase, and Shiloh; grandchildren Lisa Rosen and Greg Rosen; daughter Kim Novi of Fri ant, CA and husband Bruno; grandchildren Kyle Knutsen and Kathleen Knutsen, and their father Kris Knutsen; and many nieces and nephews, including Ron Fletcher of Fresno, California. His granddaughter Kathleen lovingly cared for him at home in his last days.

A Funeral Service will be held at Whitehurst Sullivan Burns & Blair Funeral Home, 836 E. Nees Ave., Fresno, CA on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.

A celebration of Norm's life will be held at Sierra Sport & Racquet Club for club members and guests at a later date to be announced.