Obituaries

Vivian Ann Fletcher (nee’ Sattler) passed away with her family by her side on October 31, 2017. She was 70 years old.

Vivian is survived by her loving husband of 45 years, Edward Fletcher; her daughter, Catherine Pearson and her husband Erik Pearson; her son, Gregory Fletcher and his partner Stephanie Rothwell; two grandsons Leif and Riley Pearson; and two granddaughters Charlotte Castro and Maxine Fletcher; all of Fremont, Calif. She is also survived by her two brothers John and Paul Sattler. She is preceded in death by two sisters, Evelyn Burger and Louise Miller.

Born on April 17, 1947 in Los Angeles, Calif. to Ruth and John Sattler, she grew up in sunny Southern California. As a teenager at Santa Fe Springs High School she excelled at school choir, singing soprano, and she always maintained fond memories of participating in competitions such as at the Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade.

In 1966, at age 19, Vivian enlisted in the United States Navy and served in Arlington, Virginia at the Naval Photographic Center as a member of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) ranks. Her three years of enlistment took place during the Vietnam War. She often remarked that joining the Navy was one of the smartest decisions she made in her lifetime.

Shortly thereafter, in March of 1972, she made another smart decision by marrying her husband of 45 years, Edward Fletcher. Ed and Vivian met on a tennis court in Hacienda, Calif. where they were paired up for a game of doubles among a group of mutual friends. Only a year into their marriage, Ed’s job moved them to Northern California. They settled in San Jose, Calif., where both their children, Catherine Ann Fletcher Pearson and Gregory Allan Fletcher, were born, in 1975 and 1977, respectively.

The year 1978 found them relocating to Fremont, Calif. into the home they would live together in for more than 39 years. Vivian completed her bachelor’s degree in Home Economics at San Jose State University (SJSU) in 1980. She began a contract career by teaching microwave cooking classes for Sears stores around the San Francisco Bay Area. Then, in 1986 she returned to SJSU to pursue a teaching credential. It was at that time she found her true calling and began her final and favorite career, teaching elementary school. Vivian taught third, fourth and fifth grades at two schools, Durham Elementary and Chadbourne Elementary, within the Fremont Unified School District, for more than 25 years.

Upon retirement, Vivian spent time reading, walking, puttering in her yard, spoiling her grand-dog with trips to the dog park, and sitting side-by-side with Ed as they read the morning paper, cover-to-cover, together every morning. She relished time with her grandchildren, creating art projects for them, making study guides when they would go on road trips, and reading to them to instill a love of stories. Vivian reveled in little more than reclining on her chair with a sleeping grandchild on her chest.

Vivian’s memorial services will be held on Saturday, December 2, 11 a.m., at Fremont Memorial Chapel, 3723 Peralta Blvd., Fremont, CA 94536, (510) 793-8900. A reception will follow directly. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made in Vivian’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org).