Evelyn Fletcher

     Faye Evelyn Fletcher, age 94 of Temple, passed away on Friday, March 9, 2018 in Temple, Texas.  Following an intimate graveside service, she was laid to rest next to her husband at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in New Braunfels, Texas.      Evelyn was born on April 4, 1923 to the late John Solon and Thelma (Leggitt) Lea in O’Brien, Texas, the first of four children.  Before eventually living in far-flung corners of the world, Evelyn spent her childhood and early adult years in West Texas.  After O’Brien the family lived in Matador, Texas, and then Lubbock, Texas, where she graduated from Lubbock High and then Texas Tech University in 1945 with a Bachelor of Science degree.      When Evelyn married Glenn A. Fletcher in 1945 he was a young pilot stationed at the Yuma Army Air Field in Yuma, Arizona.  After raising a family of five children together, and 58 years of marriage, Glenn passed away in 2003.  Along the way Evelyn and Glenn lived in wide-ranging locations around the United States and the world, including Panama, Japan, Iceland, Alaska, New York State, Louisiana, and, repeatedly, Texas.  They moved to New Braunfels in 1970 when Glenn retired from the United States Air Force as a Lt. Colonel.  New Braunfels was Evelyn’s home for thirty-five years, until she relocated to Temple to live for fifteen years with her loving daughter Cynthia and son-in-law Gene Waters not long after Glenn died.      All those travels around the world could certainly have their challenges, not the least of which were the times that Glenn would have to travel ahead to the next post.   That meant Evelyn would handle moving and re-establishing the ever-growing household, along with wrangling (eventually) five children on her own.  It’s a testimony to Evelyn’s parenting skills that even then, strangers would remark on how well-behaved her children were.      Those world travels also presented many opportunities, and the lovely, gracious, talented, curious, and very intelligent woman from small-town Texas took advantage of many of them.  Evelyn was a wonderful wife and mother, and also very energetic, so she threw herself into a wide range of activities while raising her family.  She was a masterful seamstress, knitter, and quilter.  She produced beautiful pottery and macramé pieces.  She loved gardening, learned the art of Japanese flower arranging, and became a skilled artist with oil paints, creating several dozen paintings.  Besides being innately adept at so many things, Evelyn made an effort to learn about and incorporate the culture of wherever the family was living into the life of her family and her many avocations.      Being the wife of an Air Force officer and commander also meant entertaining.  Evelyn was a charming and accomplished hostess.  An expert in the kitchen, Evelyn was a wonderful cook and baker.  Numerous were the parties where Evelyn completely handled preparing all the delicious food, presented in elegant settings of her own design.  At one point, Evelyn served as the president of the Officers Wives’ Club.  But then, day-to-day life in the Fletcher household was just as important.  Evelyn created wonderful meals for her family of seven, 7 days a week, and she loved to surprise her family with their favorite baked goodies for no reason other than she knew they loved them.      Earlier in life, Evelyn was a teacher, which was perfect with her calm, patient, and understanding nature.  Then as her children grew, the always industrious Evelyn pursued a variety of other occupations.  She earned her real estate broker’s license, opened her own agency, and was installed as the president of the New Braunfels Board of Realtors.  For many years, Evelyn and Glenn both enjoyed sourcing and restoring antiques, and eventually Evelyn became a dealer in antiques and other collectibles.      Evelyn was raised as a Southern Baptist, but moving around the world in the military could be a bit disruptive.  Depending on the assignment, she attended services in a church on the base, or sometimes a church in the nearest town.  Evelyn loved the Lord, and after moving to Temple, attended Immanuel Baptist church for a number of years until it just became too physically difficult to do so.     What else can we tell you about our dear Mother?  She had such a kind, gentle, loving soul, and loved nothing more than to be surrounded by her family.  She embodied such high morals, without being judgmental.  She taught her children the value of hard work and integrity by living them.  And she was always a lady.  Never in a stilted or formal way – just the opposite -- in a warm, well-mannered way that set such a wonderful example not only for her children, but all who knew her.      Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn, and her parents, Solon and Thelma Lea.  She also was preceded by all of her younger siblings:  brother, John Lewis Lea, sister, Sybil Lea Echols, and brother, Michael Lea.      She is survived by all of her children and their spouses:  daughter Glynn Lea Fletcher Faulks and husband Jim Faulks of Big Spring, Texas; daughter Cynthia Jo Waters and husband Gene Waters of Temple, Texas; son Larry A. Fletcher and wife Jo Ann Fletcher of Pine Grove, California; son William (Bill) C. Fletcher and husband Barry Elliott of Houston, Texas; and daughter Sheri Ann Clauss and husband Carl (Sandy) Clauss of Kyle, Texas.  She is also survived by four grandchildren:  Shannon Waters, Jennifer Waters Roberts, Melody Fletcher Shaw Hardy, and Katherine Clauss Whitt.  Evelyn also had three great-grandchildren:  Temperance Shaw, Josephine Roberts, and Hayden Whitt.      Dear, dear Mother, Mom, Nana… you were and forever will be loved.