Rolland Fletcher Jr.

Rolland Fletcher Jr. "Fletch" died Nov. 6th in Salinas, CA.
Our loving grandfather, father, brother, husband and dear friend Rolland Fletcher Jr. "Fletch," age 82, passed peacefully, surrounded by family on Nov. 6th, 2025.
He was a peace advocate, funny and kind, couldn't meet a person who wouldn't become a friend, and lived to serve and make people's lives better.
Born in Illinois, Fletch was the second of a set of twins. He and his twin sister Ruth were one of the earliest premies to benefit from the medical miracle of incubators.
Fletch moved to Berthoud with his family in the 1950s where he apprenticed under his father at the family-owned weekly newspaper The Berthoud Bulletin. His favorite job was hand-setting the type for headlines.
Fletch graduated from Berthoud High School, class of '61. He attended the University of Colorado before enlisting in the army due to the Vietnam War.
His time in the U.S. Army started at Officer Candidate School (OCS), Fort Sill in Oklahoma. He went to jungle school in Panama before being assigned to Vietnam. He served as a Lieutenant with the 3rd Squadron, 3/4th U.S. Calvary of the 25th Infantry Division in CuChi, Vietnam. He was a skilled Forward Observer, coordinating protection of the troups and was involved in the Tet Offensive. During his time in Vietnam he was exposed to chemical warfare, specifically 'Agent Orange,' leading to lifelong poor health (and his eventual death).
Following his discharge from the military, Fletch graduated from California Baptist College, in Riverside, CA. It was there he met and married his wife Jennifer (Otmar). They moved to Salinas, CA to be closer to Jennifer's family. Their only daughter Sabrina was born in 1983.
After witnessing the horrors of war and returning state-side, he joined Veterans Against War. He devoted the rest of his life to the pursuit of peace and co-founded Veterans for Peace, Monterey Chapter 46.
His career was in loans and finance, and he was most well-known as the owner of Gabilan Mortgage in Salinas.
Fletch volunteered in prison ministry, with many veteran's organizations, and for countless other causes that if we were to list them all we would be here for days. He touched many, many lives.
He loved every part of being a
grandfather. He never minded the aches and pains of getting old because it meant he got to meet and love and care for his granddaughters.
Fletch is survived by wife of 54 years Jennifer (Otmar) Fletcher, daughter Sabrina (Hector Atenco) Fletcher, granddaughters Lila and Aya, and twin sister Ruth Fletcher-Carter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rolland, Sr. and Vera Fletcher and his sister Rolene (Fletcher) Payne.
He died from heart failure, but that is the last thing his heart ever did: his love never failed anyone. He was loved as a brother, husband, father, grandpa, and good good friend.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Veterans for Peace organization.
A funeral service will be held at Struve and Laporte chapel on Friday, Nov. 14th at 9:30am.