Mary Fletcher

MARY LOU FLETCHER, 83, of Midland, Texas, and long time resident of Hobbs, New Mexico, went to the arms of her Lord, Savior and friend Jesus Christ on Tuesday, July 29th, 2014. She passed away at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. Mary Lou was born to Mildred Hawkes and Buster Jones on May 20th, 1931, in Roxton, Texas. When Mary Lou was very young, her mother married Jim Horton, who from that moment on was her daddy. Mary Lou was a member of Greenwood Baptist Church in the early fifties, and again since moving to Midland in 2012, but spent many happy years as a member of Temple Baptist Church in Hobbs.

Mary Lou grew up in Roxton, raised primarily by her aunt, Alta Hawkes, a school teacher who greatly influenced Mary Lou in choosing her career as a teacher. She graduated from Roxton High School in 1948, and graduated from East Texas Teachers College in Commerce, Texas now Texas AM at Commerce. Mary Lou started her career as a school teacher in Big Sandy, Texas. The next year she began teaching in Pyote, Texas, where she met an Air Force sergeant who was stationed at Rattlesnake Air Force Base. She told her best friend after that first meeting that she would marry that man. Soon after she wed Elmer James Fletcher in Pyote. Fletch preceded her in death in 2008, after they had spent 55 glorious years at each others side. After his discharge from the Air Force, they moved to Ohio, where their only son was born. They soon relocated to Midland, Texas, to be near her family, and Mary Lou began teaching at the Greenwood school, and for a short time at Austin Junior High in Midland. They remained in Midland until 1962, when Fletch was transferred to Hobbs, New Mexico.

Upon arriving in Hobbs, Mary Lou taught for several years at Will Rogers Elementary, but then moved to Hobbs High School in 1967, where she taught English and other related subjects, including journalism, and oversaw the publishing of the school paper, The Eagles Cry. She was an avid Hobbs Eagle fan and rarely missed a football or basketball game, at home or away. She retired in 1987, after more than 40 years of doing what she loved. One of her greatest joys was visiting with exstudents who returned to visit her or attend reunions. She may not have remembered every name, but never forgot a face. She could always remind that student at which desk, and in which row they sat in her class.

Preceding Mary Lou in death in addition to Fletch, her husband of 54 years, were her parents, James F. and Mildred Horton, her brother, James A. Horton, and brothersinlaw, Dalton Winkler, Wayne Fletcher, Paul Fletcher, Bob Newland and Jerry Smith.

Surviving Mary Lou is her son, Jamie Fletcher and his wife Bonnie of Midland, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren, Angela Sloan Lillian and Luci Sloan, Amanda Serna Sylas Serna, and Tyler Fletcher, all of Hobbs. Also, the mother of her grandchildren, Jan Fletcher of Hobbs, whom she loved as the daughter she never had.

Survivors also include three siblings, Mark Horton and his wife Esther of Midland, Maydelle Winkler of Austin, Texas, and Joretta Null and her husband Aaron of Corinth, Mississippi sistersinlaw Linda Horton of Edmond, Oklahoma, Jeanne Smith of Wooster, Ohio, Della Newland of Ada, Ohio, Ruth Fletcher of Lima, Ohio, and Arlene Fletcher of Charleston, South Carolina. She leaves behind a dear cousin, Mary Jane Tyler of Jefferson, Texas, and a loving lifelong friend, Katherine Hambright of Midland. Mary Lou is also survived by many other cousins, nieces and nephews, and many good friends acquired from her forty plus years as an educator and a lifetime of serving her Lord.

A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 a. m. Saturday, August 2, 2014 at Chapel of Hope Sanctuary in Hobbs, with the Reverend LaVoid Ford officiating. The family has requested that in lieu of cards or flowers, memorial contributions be made in Mary Lous name to either, The Mary Lou Fletcher Scholarship Fund, 2009 St. Pierre Dr., Carrollton, TX 75006, or Harmony Home Childrens Advocacy Center, P.O. Box 3087, Odessa, TX 79761.

Service

Memorial Service

Chapel of Hope
3321 N. Dal Paso St.
Hobbs, NM  88240
Saturday, August 2, 2014
10:00 a.m.

Memorial Contributions

2009 St. Pierre Dr
Carrollton, TX  75006


P.O. Box 3087
Odessa, TX  79761