Pastor David Gordon Louie Fletcher of Westford, MA, formerly of O'Fallon and Venedy, IL, departed this life at Emerson Hospital in Concord, MA, on August 16th. He was 85 years of age.

David was born in New York, NY on December 26, 1938, the son of James and Pearl Fletcher. He was united in marriage to Eleanor Lau Kee at True Light Lutheran Church in New York on June 11,1966.

He attended Curtis High School in New York City and graduated in 1957.

David served his country in the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1964 after 4 years of service, having been stationed at Lackland AFB, TX, Carswell AFB, TX, and Eielson AFB, AK, in that time.

Upon returning home he started Chinatown Cut-Rate as the proprietor, a store in the New York City Chinatown community where he pioneered retail sales of martial arts equipment, while also going to school on the GI Bill.  He received an Associate of Arts degree from Manhattan Community College, then later David graduated in 1973 from Hunter College, New York City, with a bachelor's degree. David then attended New Brunswick Theological Seminary, graduating with a Master of Divinity in 1979.

In this time, in addition to his business and academic activities, David was very active in his church community, serving as Sunday School teacher and superintendent at True Light Lutheran Church in New York City, and Vice President of the congregation at St. John's Lutheran Church in Flushing, NY.

Strongly feeling the call to serve the Lord, David entered and completed the Colloquy program at Concordia Seminary in Saint Louis, MO, in 1984 and was ordained into the ministry as a pastor serving in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. David served as the pastor of St. Salvator Lutheran Church in Venedy, IL; also as the pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church in New Memphis, IL, from 1985 to 2009.  After this 24-year service, he retired from the ministry.

Left to mourn his passing is a daughter, Charity Fletcher and husband Wayne Floyd and grandson, David Floyd, all from Westford, MA; sisters Diana Chenn, Melorose Quan, and Vivian Fletcher, all of New York; nieces and nephews, as well as a host of friends.

His dear Eleanor preceded him to Heaven after 50 blessed years of marriage in 2016.  Also preceding him were his brother, Paul Fletcher; and sisters, Maxine Lee and June Fletcher.

There will be two services for Pastor Fletcher. First will be a funeral service held at Lutheran Church of the Savior, 426 Davis Rd, Bedford, MA 01730, on Saturday, August 24th, at 11 am, with Pastor David Brezina officiating.  Second, funeral services will be held at St. Salvator Lutheran Church in Venedy, IL, on Saturday, August 31, at 10:30 am with Pastor Mark Harris delivering the message and Pastor Jim d'Entremont officiating. Interment will be in the St. Salvator Lutheran Church cemetery, where he will be laid to rest and reunited with Eleanor.  Receptions at the churches will follow both services.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to either Lutheran Church of the Savior, 426 Davis Rd., Bedford, MA 01730 or St. Salvator Lutheran Church, 179 W Church St., Venedy, IL 62214.