On June 26 Doctor Charlie left his family, friends, fellow physicians, and numerous former patients and their families. He died at home in Ventura at age 88, while on hospice after suffering months of progressive lung and heart problems. His grieving wife and family and the many other people he cared for and about will miss him greatly.
Born November 17, 1929 in Washington DC, to parents Charles and Mildred Fletcher, he soon became the eldest of four brothers. His years at Gonzaga, the local Jesuit high school, always meant a great deal to him, as did his hard work at his family's restaurant. After college at Catholic University he served in the Army in Japan during the Korean War. His duties there in a research lab and his degree in biology prepared him for the University of Maryland Medical School, where he graduated in 1959. He somehow had time during medical school to court Geraldine Schwalenberg, who became his wife in 1956.
Charlie chose to specialize in pediatrics, and did his training at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, finishing in 1962. He and his family moved to Ventura - and stayed. He enjoyed many years in private practice, then at Buenaventura Medical Clinic from 1970-1980. His devotion to Ventura County Medical Center was heartfelt. He taught family practice residents for years and was co-director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit which he helped start in 1972. He served as Director of Pediatrics from 1980-1988. Following that he staffed the Naval Medical Clinic in Port Hueneme and eventually retired in 1998, though he continued to do volunteer work with the Salvation Army Free Clinic and with Partners in Health in Nicaragua.
For his doctoring and teaching skills he received many honors and awards, including Physician of the Year from the Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation in 1997. But, he often told his wife his proudest titles were "dad" and "granddad" to his five children and fourteen grandchildren. With his family he shared his love of sports, especially football. He spent over 15 years as team doctor for St Bonaventure High School, and would stop any other activity if Notre Dame was on television. He was crazy about bicycling, liked the ocean, his convertible Fiat and Louis Armstrong's music, and took pleasure in many a vacation with family and later solo with wife Jerry. After retirement, he took classes in photography and ceramics and birding, and academic subjects. As well as these adventures he liked celebration parties at his home - for any purpose, with friends and family.
Charlie was preceded in death by his son Paul, and his brothers Bob, Tom and John. Surviving him are his wife Jerry, and children Carolyn Chase (Doug), Tim (Elizabeth), Steve (Barbara), and Terry Blessum. His grandchildren, who will miss him, include Dan and Emily Chase, Ethan and Mitchell Fletcher, Nicole and Alena and Mara Fletcher, and Mary, Karl, Derek, Sam, Jonah, Phillip, and Isabel Blessum.
Services will be at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church. Recitation of a Most Holy Rosary will be on Friday July 27 at 7pm. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 AM Saturday July 28, followed by a gathering at the family home.
Arrangements are under the direction of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, Ventura.