Harold Fletcher, 1909-1931

FLETCHER, LEHNE, BLANCHARD, HILL, MOORE, HUNT, MIDKIFF

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 9/13/2017 at 08:29:52

Dubuque Telegraph Herald-November 4, 1931

INJURIES FATAL
TO MANCHESTER
POLICE OFFICER

Manchester, Ia., Nov. 4. – Special: Harold Fletcher, aged 23 years, who was seriously injured in an automobile accident on North Franklin Street here last Saturday night, died at the Kocher Hospital here about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday. Fletcher never regained consciousness remaining in a state of coma for 73 hours.

Fletcher, who had been employed by the city for several months past, divided his time with motorcycle police duty. Saturday night his machine was parked near the Kocher Hospital on North Franklin Street, where he was conversing with his wife, to whom he was married only six months. While he was talking, a speeding automobile went north on Franklin Street, and he bade his wife goodbye, saying he would return when he appended the speeder.

As he reached the John Lehne corner on North Franklin Street the speeding car passed and over took a sedan driven by Clarence H. Blanchard, of this city, which was also going north. Blanchard slowed down, he says, and then turned left off Franklin to go to his home. As he did this, and just before he left the paving Fletcher, riding his motorcycle, crashed the left side of his car near the rear door. The crash through him partly through the Blanchard car windows, breaking the glass in both.

Fletcher was removed to the Kocher Hospital, here in an unconscious state, and his condition remained critical from the start.

Harold, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Fletcher, was born at Marshall, Mich., April 18, 1909. He lived there with his parents until 1912, when they moved to Cedar Rapids. They lived there for two years and then moved to Kansas City, Mo., and then in 1916 came to Manchester, since their home. He was married at the Congregational parsonage April 5th of this year to Miss Mabel I. Hill, daughter of Fred Hill, the Rev. J. Frank Moore officiating.

Surviving are his parents and widow, of this city; and the following brothers and sisters; Mrs. James Hunt, Dundee, Ia.; Miss Myrtle F. Fletcher, Marshall, Mich.; Mrs. Ivan Midkiff, Waterloo; La Verne and Bryan Fletcher, at home; also by two nephews and one niece. Funeral arrangements were not completed Tuesday night.