SHERIDAN - Memorial services for Joseph Lancer Fletcher, 72, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church by the Rev. Joseph Keys.

Mr. Fletcher died at his home Nov. 29, 1994.

He was born Sept. 27, 1922, in Gillette, the son of . Joseph Lorenzo and Gladys Margaret (Williams) Fletcher. He lived on the family homestead and attended elementary school at Wildcat by riding horseback. The family moved to Sheridan when he was 8 years old.

During his childhood, he and his brother, Marshall, rode horseback into town and were given food and shelter by area ranchers. To earn money, he had a paper route for the Sheridan Press. An All-State football player, he graduated from Sheridan High School in 1941.

Mr. Fletcher then worked for Boeing Aircraft in California and joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. He served as an aviation machinist's mate, 2nd class and was attached to the Lighter-Than-Air Division at Key West. Fla. Following his discharge in 1946, he became an apprentice carpenter and was employed by Wilber Fish Construction Company in Hardin, Mont. On Sept 1, 1946, he married Shirley Cornelius in Hardin.

The couple returned to Sheridan and Mr. Fletcher worked for his uncle, C. Ray Williams, for several years building houses in the Sheridan area. He later received his journeyman carpenter certificate, Mr. Fletcher became an independent contractor during 1954 and the following year he worked in custom home construction. In 1959 he began working in the commercial construction field, building Woodland Park School Gymnasium. He later became a general contractor and built many landmark buildings in the Sheridan area. In 1970, he incorporated and was president of the Fletcher Construction Company from 1970 to 1988.

He was a past president of Association of General Contractors of Wyoming, a life member of the National Rifle Association, and was a member of Sheridan Elks Lodge, Queen Valley Golf Club and First United Methodist Church.

Mr. Fletcher owned properties in Sheridan County and Brownsville, Texas. He and others developed Valley West Subdivision and Riverside Industrial Park in Sheridan. He retired in 1988.

His wife preceded him in death on Jan. 6, 1985.

During the 1960s, he purchased the Dooley Ranch on Tongue River (now the Clarence Terry place). He bought a 320-acre farm on Upper Girl School Road in 1963, and two years later purchased the Snively place from T.C. Colkett. He also purchased the Masher place. Mr. Fletcher ran approximately 300 head of cattle and had a grazing lease in the national forest. He was a past president of American Pinzgauer Association and was promoted to Pinzgauer Cattle Worldwide.

He enjoyed hunting with his family and friends, fishing, boating, playing golf, following football, planting citrus trees in Arizona and traveling. On Oct. 26, 1988, he married Nancy Lundy in Lake Tahoe, Nev. The couple traveled and played golf. They later purchased a winter home in Queen Valley, Ariz., and kept their summer home on Rapid Creek, near Sheridan.

Preceding him in death were his first wife; parents; a brother, Marshall; a half-brother, Gordon Johnson; a half-sister, Shirley J. Rhodes.

Survivors include his wife, Nancy; a daughter, Margaret Catron of Sheridan; two sons, J. L. Fletcher and George P. . Fletcher, both of Sheridan; a stepson, Jeffrey Snider of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; and 11 grandchildren.

Memorials to the Sheridan County Hospice in care of Defphine Toner, First Interstate Bank, P.O. Box 2007 Sheridan 82801 would be appreciated.

The Champion Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Casper Star - Tribune - Dec. 2, 1994.