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William Fleming Obituary

William Alden Fleming November 2, 1916 - June 16, 2006 William "Bill" Fleming, a 38 year Belvedere resident, died on June 16, 2006. He was born on November 2, 1916 in San Francisco, to Alden and May Fleming. The family moved to Corte Madera a few years later. As a lad he sold cow manure in the summer and wind fall apples door to door, gave out keys and towels in the bathhouses at the Russian River, and worked in a butcher shop doing home deliveries on a motor scooter. He attended Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley. In the pre-war years he worked for Southern Pacific Railway and was fond of recalling that he earned $54.50 a month in 1936. He worked as a typist for the White House (department store), Matson Navigation as an office boy, and Hotel Empire in the accounting department. He went to night school at the University of SF studying accounting. On October 18, 1941 he married his high school sweetheart, Patricia Johnson. They were married 54 years at the time of her death in 1996. Bill worked for Union Oil in the accounting department at the time he was drafted into the army on Feb. 19, 1942, and went to finance training school at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana. He was transferred to the 4th Air Force Finance Headquarters in San Francisco, where he spent the rest of the war. A son, Dennis, was born in 1944, and a daughter, Dorothy (Debbie), was born in 1947. After the war he, Pat and Dennis moved to Mill Valley, where Bill started his own accounting business, working until retirement in 1969. During his working years he was active with Catholic charities. After retirement he remained active with family and business connections for another 30 years. Bill and Pat loved to travel, and they enjoyed trips to Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, and around the USA. They had annual trips to Hawaii, Tahoe, Yosemite and Palm Desert where for more than 40 years they enjoyed the company of family and many friends. He is survived by Dennis Fleming and Debbie Cameron; grandsons, Bryce and Keith Fleming, (Woodacre, CA), Jacob Cameron; granddaughters, Zoe and Ella Cameron; and great granddaughter, Chloe Bennett (Canberra, Australia). He was preceded in death by his beloved parents and brothers, John (Jack) and Al. We are grateful that dad had such a wonderful life, and that his death was peaceful. We are also thankful for the care and concern given in his last home at Creekwood of Novato. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in his memory on Thursday, July 6, 2006, at St. Hilary's Church in Tiburon at 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer's Association, 4340 Redwood Hwy., Suite D 314, San Rafael, CA 94903; or Hospice of Marin, 17 E. Sir Francis Blvd., Larkspur, CA 94939; or a favorite charity.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by San Francisco Chronicle on Jul. 2, 2006.

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Susan Diederichsen

November 29, 2024

I had known him for years. His son & I are friends.

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