Edwin Ray Fletcher

Edwin Ray Fletcher, 88, was born on September 2, 1931, and passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on May 21, 2020.

Ray was born in Americus, GA, to MH “Pop” and Mabel “Me Maw” Fletcher. He was a very determined man who could accomplish anything he set his mind to. After graduating from High School, he attended Georgia Southwestern. Afterwards, in 1949, he joined the US Air Force and was selected for pilot training in Kinston, NC. He trained and soloed in a “T-6G,” and graduated from flight school in 1953.

Ray met the love of his life, Cherry Watson, at Georgia Southwestern. They were married on June 21, 1953, in Warner Robins, GA.

He was assigned to duty in Korea, where he was with the “Mosquito Squadron,” flying recon T-6’s along the 38th Parallel. After the Korean War, he returned to Cape Code to fly Constellations, also known as “Connies.” The family then moved to Savannah, where he flew B-47’s; and then Rome, NY, to fly B-52’s. In 1966, his crew was chosen to fly in a bomb competition in Seattle, WA, to compete against other B-52 crews. He retired from the Air Force in 1970, and returned to Georgia.

He then attended Auburn University, graduating with a degree in Aviation Management; and joined the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) Aviation Bureau.
Ray was a wealth of aviation information. His accomplishments and influence will live on with people and places in the aviation world. Several aviation consultants speak about the great work Ray and his GDOT team did for Georgia’s airports.

He developed the love for aviation in the Air Force, and it stayed with him throughout his life. That passion, commitment, and wisdom was shared with many family members and friends.
Ray and Cherry enjoyed their retirement in their happiest place, at Lake Blackshear.
Survivors include his brother, Milton (Libby) Fletcher; son Winn (Shelly) Fletcher; daughter, Catherine (George) Reynolds; grandson, George A. Reynolds; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his wife Cherry Watson Fletcher; parents, MH and Mabel Fletcher; brother, Leonard Fletcher; sister, Lil F. Ferguson, Eleanor F. Wolfe, sister Martha F. Thiers and Dolly F. Shaughnessy.

Current Covid-19 restrictions in place also affect funeral customs and traditions. As a result, a private graveside funeral service to honor Mr. Fletcher’s life will be held for his family at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests memorial donations be given in memory of Edwin Ray Fletcher to your favorite charity.

Learn more about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at mcculloughfh.com. There you can also sign an Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.