Fletcher, Murray

FLETCHER, Murray Douglas - After 3 ½ years Murray has finally succumbed to cancer. He has beaten all the odds and gained an additional year and a half more than the Doctors predicted he would have. If you looked up the word fighter in the dictionary, his picture would have been there. Throughout the battle, his war cry was “so what do we do next?“ These are the words of someone who does not give up. After a very valiant fight, God has called Murray home. On Monday, May 31, 2010 at Lisaard House in Cambridge, Ontario we lost a best friend, husband, father, stepfather, brother, grandfather, brother-in- law and uncle. Murray was born on November 17, 1942 in Chatham, Ontario and was raised in the farming community of Valetta. He was the eldest son of Douglas Fletcher and Agnes Burgess. He graduated from Ridgetown Agriculture College in 1962. He had a passion for people and talking, Murray was a born salesman. He loved to drive and windshield time was his healing and think time. We would always marvel how he could travel 8 hours to make a call in the wilds of Northern Ontario and get out of the car looking fresh as a daisy to make that one visit. He was famous for taking sales managers on the “10 cent tour“ of the North. As he would say, it shows as only 2 inches on the map when in fact it was 4-6 hours driving time through the bush. The sales managers somehow never wanted to travel with him after that. For over 40 years he was in the sales business, selling everything from seed corn to lubrication equipment. His favourite saying was “everything needs to be lubricated“. Leaving behind are his wife and best friend Linda Thibeault (Boutilier); his son Terry Fletcher (Debbie) and their children Nicole, Jessica, Terry Jr. and Cameron; youngest son Todd Fletcher and his fiancée Jerrie-Anne Chauvin; step-sons Rob Thibeault (Patricia) and Sean Thibeault (France). Dearly loved Papa to Aryana, Morgan, Carter, Ethan and Nate. Also left to morn are his two brothers Donald Fletcher (Helen) and Howard Fletcher (Connie) both of Valetta, Ontario; along with many nieces and nephews. Murray was a gourmet cook and was always trying different recipes and sharing them with friends and family as well as the nurses and doctors who attended him. He enjoyed having people over for dinner and entertaining. He was a great neighbor and enjoyed snow blowing the area driveways and cutting grass. He had many friends throughout his life who have been so supportive. Of honourable mention are his long time friends Len Stacey, Mike Murphy and Rosemary Hardy of Chatham, Ontario and more recently Brian Kelly who has been so helpful and gave up his time to stay with Murray when we needed help in the final days. One of his biggest treasures and loss will be his dog Bode who has been his constant companion through the past 3 ½ years. We are looking to have a celebration of his life. Please come and join us at the HENRY WALSER FUNERAL HOME, 507 Frederick St., Kitchener, (519) 749-8467, and check out to see if “he really looks like himself“. Visitation is on Wednesday, June 2nd from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. The visitation will continue on Thursday, June 3, 2010 from 10 a.m. until the time of Murray's funeral service at 11 a.m. A reception at the funeral home will immediately follow the service. His wish was that we remember all the great times we had and raise a glass of red wine in his remembrance. How can we begin to thank everyone that has been so generous with their time and support. All the people who came and sat with Murray, brought food and walked the dog; it is the small things that mean so much and the kindness will not be forgotten. Special thanks to the team 6 CCAC support workers, the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre and the wonderful staff at Lisaard House. In lieu of flowers, donations to Lisaard House would be greatly appreciated (cards are available at the funeral home or by visiting www.henrywalser.com), the care and compassion he received there was outstanding and made the final days of his journey comfortable. Best friends first, lovers always.