Valerie A. Fletcher, 90, died peacefully on Saturday, May 28, 2011 at her home. Known lovingly as Honey by her family, she was born in Edgbaston, England on June 13, 1920, the daughter of Harry and Amelia Williams. As a young woman she loved tennis and amateur theater. She had a short career as a high fashion model (a natural for her with her 5' 9.5" height, black hair, sparkling blue eyes and striking looks). When WWII broke out, she and her younger sister Honor enlisted in the British Women's Auxillary Royal Air Force. She had a lifelong love of cars, and her favorite assignment was to act as the leading headlights to planes landing during the blackouts. Although she married an American officer, Labat Tolbert Fletcher, and left her beloved England after the war, she never gave up her British citizenship. They always felt that love of country and family united them deeply throughout their 35 year marriage.
As a service wife, she traveled the world with her husband and three daughters, making homes in France, England, Guam and in the US in states from Massachusetts to Texas. Once asked by a daughter, "where is home?" She answered, "Home is where your father hangs his hat. " In fact, home was wherever Honey was - full of laughter and made up songs and stories. Sometimes, home was in a car driving down the road and sleeping in it as the family raced to the port or airport to reach their next tour of duty. She made it all an adventure.
Following Colonel Fletcher's retirement and subsequent serious illness, she moved the family to England and nursed her husband back to health in the beautiful Cotswold countryside. Five years later, they returned to settle in Fairfax County, Virginia where she worked in retail fashion, opening her own dress salon, Valerie's. She had a life-long love of fashion, and was known for her sense of style and her love of hats.
In 1980, she and her husband moved to Dutchess County where following his death, she devoted herself to helping raise her grand-daughter Leslie. She was always there to help each daughter. Her friends and family never had a more loving person in their lives. Her dynamic and positive nature and her joy in each day will be deeply missed.
She is survived by her three daughters and their husbands: Valerie and Toby Wiggins of Hopewell Junction, NY, Sharon and Richard Jones of Malvern, Pa. and Debbie and Michael Okin of Lynchburg, Va.: her grandchildren and their spouses, Leslie Wiggins and Michael Sampson, Owen and Emily Jones, Robin and Michael Shafer and Harrison and Margie Okin and Honor Jones. She has three great-grandchildren: Jordan and Talia Sampson and Charlotte Jones. She was the oldest member of her maternal family, the Wilson's, and is survived by her sister Honor Owen and her niece Penny Culverhouse of Southsea, U.K.
Visitation will be held on Saturday from 10 to 10:30 am at the McHoul Funeral Home, Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. The funeral service will be at 10:30 am followed by interment in Fishkill Rural Cemetery.
As a service wife, she traveled the world with her husband and three daughters, making homes in France, England, Guam and in the US in states from Massachusetts to Texas. Once asked by a daughter, "where is home?" She answered, "Home is where your father hangs his hat. " In fact, home was wherever Honey was - full of laughter and made up songs and stories. Sometimes, home was in a car driving down the road and sleeping in it as the family raced to the port or airport to reach their next tour of duty. She made it all an adventure.
Following Colonel Fletcher's retirement and subsequent serious illness, she moved the family to England and nursed her husband back to health in the beautiful Cotswold countryside. Five years later, they returned to settle in Fairfax County, Virginia where she worked in retail fashion, opening her own dress salon, Valerie's. She had a life-long love of fashion, and was known for her sense of style and her love of hats.
In 1980, she and her husband moved to Dutchess County where following his death, she devoted herself to helping raise her grand-daughter Leslie. She was always there to help each daughter. Her friends and family never had a more loving person in their lives. Her dynamic and positive nature and her joy in each day will be deeply missed.
She is survived by her three daughters and their husbands: Valerie and Toby Wiggins of Hopewell Junction, NY, Sharon and Richard Jones of Malvern, Pa. and Debbie and Michael Okin of Lynchburg, Va.: her grandchildren and their spouses, Leslie Wiggins and Michael Sampson, Owen and Emily Jones, Robin and Michael Shafer and Harrison and Margie Okin and Honor Jones. She has three great-grandchildren: Jordan and Talia Sampson and Charlotte Jones. She was the oldest member of her maternal family, the Wilson's, and is survived by her sister Honor Owen and her niece Penny Culverhouse of Southsea, U.K.
Visitation will be held on Saturday from 10 to 10:30 am at the McHoul Funeral Home, Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. The funeral service will be at 10:30 am followed by interment in Fishkill Rural Cemetery.
Valerie A. Fletcher, 90, died peacefully on Saturday, May 28, 2011 at her home. Known lovingly as Honey by her family, she was born in Edgbaston, England on June 13, 1920, the daughter of Harry and Amelia Williams. As a young woman she loved tennis and amateur theater. She had a short career as a high fashion model (a natural for her with her 5' 9.5" height, black hair, sparkling blue eyes and striking looks). When WWII broke out, she and her younger sister Honor enlisted in the British Women's Auxillary Royal Air Force. She had a lifelong love of cars, and her favorite assignment was to act as the leading headlights to planes landing during the blackouts. Although she married an American officer, Labat Tolbert Fletcher, and left her beloved England after the war, she never gave up her British citizenship. They always felt that love of country and family united them deeply throughout their 35 year marriage.
As a service wife, she traveled the world with her husband and three daughters, making homes in France, England, Guam and in the US in states from Massachusetts to Texas. Once asked by a daughter, "where is home?" She answered, "Home is where your father hangs his hat. " In fact, home was wherever Honey was - full of laughter and made up songs and stories. Sometimes, home was in a car driving down the road and sleeping in it as the family raced to the port or airport to reach their next tour of duty. She made it all an adventure.
Following Colonel Fletcher's retirement and subsequent serious illness, she moved the family to England and nursed her husband back to health in the beautiful Cotswold countryside. Five years later, they returned to settle in Fairfax County, Virginia where she worked in retail fashion, opening her own dress salon, Valerie's. She had a life-long love of fashion, and was known for her sense of style and her love of hats.
In 1980, she and her husband moved to Dutchess County where following his death, she devoted herself to helping raise her grand-daughter Leslie. She was always there to help each daughter. Her friends and family never had a more loving person in their lives. Her dynamic and positive nature and her joy in each day will be deeply missed.
She is survived by her three daughters and their husbands: Valerie and Toby Wiggins of Hopewell Junction, NY, Sharon and Richard Jones of Malvern, Pa. and Debbie and Michael Okin of Lynchburg, Va.: her grandchildren and their spouses, Leslie Wiggins and Michael Sampson, Owen and Emily Jones, Robin and Michael Shafer and Harrison and Margie Okin and Honor Jones. She has three great-grandchildren: Jordan and Talia Sampson and Charlotte Jones. She was the oldest member of her maternal family, the Wilson's, and is survived by her sister Honor Owen and her niece Penny Culverhouse of Southsea, U.K.
Visitation will be held on Saturday from 10 to 10:30 am at the McHoul Funeral Home, Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. The funeral service will be at 10:30 am followed by interment in Fishkill Rural Cemetery.
As a service wife, she traveled the world with her husband and three daughters, making homes in France, England, Guam and in the US in states from Massachusetts to Texas. Once asked by a daughter, "where is home?" She answered, "Home is where your father hangs his hat. " In fact, home was wherever Honey was - full of laughter and made up songs and stories. Sometimes, home was in a car driving down the road and sleeping in it as the family raced to the port or airport to reach their next tour of duty. She made it all an adventure.
Following Colonel Fletcher's retirement and subsequent serious illness, she moved the family to England and nursed her husband back to health in the beautiful Cotswold countryside. Five years later, they returned to settle in Fairfax County, Virginia where she worked in retail fashion, opening her own dress salon, Valerie's. She had a life-long love of fashion, and was known for her sense of style and her love of hats.
In 1980, she and her husband moved to Dutchess County where following his death, she devoted herself to helping raise her grand-daughter Leslie. She was always there to help each daughter. Her friends and family never had a more loving person in their lives. Her dynamic and positive nature and her joy in each day will be deeply missed.
She is survived by her three daughters and their husbands: Valerie and Toby Wiggins of Hopewell Junction, NY, Sharon and Richard Jones of Malvern, Pa. and Debbie and Michael Okin of Lynchburg, Va.: her grandchildren and their spouses, Leslie Wiggins and Michael Sampson, Owen and Emily Jones, Robin and Michael Shafer and Harrison and Margie Okin and Honor Jones. She has three great-grandchildren: Jordan and Talia Sampson and Charlotte Jones. She was the oldest member of her maternal family, the Wilson's, and is survived by her sister Honor Owen and her niece Penny Culverhouse of Southsea, U.K.
Visitation will be held on Saturday from 10 to 10:30 am at the McHoul Funeral Home, Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. The funeral service will be at 10:30 am followed by interment in Fishkill Rural Cemetery.
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