Kay Ardith (Reich) Fletcher was born at high noon on August 20, 1931, at Dupree, SD, the first daughter of Frances (Jewett) and Johnnie Reich. The family lived in the Dupree vicinity when Kay was a small child, moving to a ranch on the Moreau River in 1939, where Kay grew up to womanhood. She attended her first grade of school at Cloverleaf rural school, northeast of Dupree, where her father had attended school as a young boy. She attended Liebelt School, rural and also public school in Dupree two years. She graduated from Dupree High School on May 18, 1950. She worked for the Public Welfare Department in Dupree, under Mrs. Mabel Ross, for 5 years. On March 3, 1955, she was married to Lloyd F. Fletcher, with the bride's grandparents as attendants, they, Bertha and Herman Reich were celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary on that day. The Fletchers lived in the Dupree area until the fall of 1960, and then moved to Medicine Bow, WY, where Lloyd was ranch foreman for the Robbers Roost Ranch near Medicine Bow for eight years before moving back to South Dakota and settling in Sturgis, SD.

Kay was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Wyoming, serving 5 years as secretary and one year as president. She was also president of the local PTA in Medicine Bow. Kay was employed for 11 years at Phil-Town Restaurant, and then went to work for the Veterans Administration Hospital at Ft. Meade where she retired after working 24 years, in 2004.

Kay enjoyed bowling, was captain of her team for many years, and served as an extra member, bowling when needed. Kay was an avid gardener and homemaker, enjoyed writing poetry and wrote a novel. Kay was a skilled handiwork person and has done many projects for her and others. She underwent an emergency 5 by-pass heart operation in 1999, took sick leave and returned to her position as Nursing Timekeeper at Ft. Meade.

Kay is survived by her husband of 61 years, Lloyd Fletcher; two daughters, Jill V. Cook, Bonney Lake, WA, and Kim Engle, Denver, CO; one granddaughter, Kayla Frances Cook, Seattle, WA; two grandsons, Kameron Jay Engle, Montgomery, TX, and Conor Fletcher Cook, Bonney Lake, WA; two great-grandchildren, Zakkary and Emily Engle; one sister, Barbie (Charles) Begeman, Isabel, SD; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Gale , Norman and Jack; and 5 infants.

Visitation will be Saturday, April 16, one hour prior to the services at Calvary Baptist Church.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 16, 2016, at the Calvary Baptist Church in Sturgis. Interment will be at Black Hills National Cemetery at a later date.

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