NORMAN MILLER FLETCHER

BANGOR – Norman Miller Fletcher passed away peacefully Saturday, June 14, 2008, at 97 years of age. He was with his son and grandson. Norman Miller Fletcher was born Dec. 4, 1910, in Everett, Mass., the third child of Melvin Arthur Fletcher and Sadie Miller Fletcher. He was raised in Malden, Mass., and summered in Claremont, N.H. Norman was the 10th generation of Fletcher’s in the United States. Robert Fletcher immigrated in 1630 with the Governor Winthrop fleet to Boston from Chelmsford, England. They settled Concord, Mass., in 1635. The Fletcher’s were builders of covered bridges and Norman’s great-grandfather, Bela J., designed and built many covered bridges, including the longest covered bridge, at 450 ft., still standing and in use in the United States – the Cornish-Windsor bridge on the Connecticut River. Norman graduated from Oak Grove High, Malden, Mass., and received architectural training at Wentworth Institute. After designing six houses built in Claremont, N.H., the Great Depression put an end to his home designing. In 1935 he fell back to the family business, namely pianos. In the 1950s Norman operated his own piano store, Fletcher for Pianos, in Claremont, N.H. In 1961 he moved the family to Bangor to work for Viner Music Co. He retired in 1976. On July 1, 1939, he married Norma Kathryn Boulter of O’Leary/Glenwood, Prince Edward Island. They raised four children in Clare-mont, N.H. He and his wife, Norma, had a life-long love for the Bible and he served as a lay minister at Centre Methodist Church, Malden, Mass. Norman took his stand as a conscientious objector during World War II. The war years found them serving in conjunction with the Friends (Quakers) in Indianapolis and Penncraft, Pa., organizing cooperatives (stores) for underprivileged Americans and teaching. He completed his life as a baptized minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He was predeceased by his sisters, Ruth Campbell and Marion Smith; and his son, John, who died at 30. Studies of his son by Dartmouth physicians in the 1950s led to the discovery of PKU, a genetic disorder. This produced a regular test now administered to all newborns that can lead to a healthy life for many children. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Norma Kathryn Boulter; three children, Judith Bennett and the twins, Melvin Arthur and Marianne Palagonia of Phoenix; and three grandchildren, Jamin Arthur Fletcher, 29, Jonathan Palagonia, 28 and Jeffrey Aaron Fletcher, 23. We remember our father for his life-long love and respect for the Bible, his generosity, his love for entertaining friends with meals, many lovely landscape paintings and his welcome letters. He was a tireless worker and was blessed with unusual health, never having visited a hospital until he was 95. He, like Joseph of Arimathea, was “awaiting the kingdom of God.” Mark 15:43. We cherish his long life and are glad he endeavored, in the words of 1 Timothy 6:17-19 “to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be liberal, ready to share, safely treasuring up…a fine foundation for the future.” A funeral service will be held 6 p.m. Monday, June 16, at Bangor Kingdom Hall, outer Broadway, Bangor and friends are invited to gather 7 p.m. at Brookings-Smith Family Center, 163 Center St., Bangor.