George Flynn Fletcher

George Flynn was born on July 19, 1945 to Robert and Georgea Flynn Fletcher in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and moved to Lubbock in 1949. He attended Lubbock High School and was National HI-Y Youth Government President. In this role, he traveled to Brazil to give a speech representing the United States. He later attended Texas Tech and worked in Washington D.C. with various Representatives during his summers. From a young age, George formed an international perspective and an appreciation for the institutions of civil society.George enjoyed telling stories about his post-graduate studies at Thunderbird and reminiscing on his years living abroad in Italy. His professional career included working for corporations in Marketing, owning Jones-Roberts Shoe Stores in Lubbock and surrounding areas, Insurance and a proud stint at Texas Tech on the Horizon Campaign.He had a deep appreciation for music and the arts, and performed many years in The Lubbock Chorale. George was a prolific reader and his favorite authors included Ernest Hemingway, Robert Ludlum, Octavio Paz, and James Michener. He described himself as having, “a cosmopolitan outlook with strong values”.George loved traveling, especially to Mexico. By air, train, and bus he took his young family on summer Mexico adventures. Wearing his guayaberas, smoking cigars and buying lottery tickets at the zocalos were amongst his favorite pastimes there. George was known to stay up late playing Gin Rummy with his family while vacationing in Cuernavaca, Mexico.As an avid Texas Tech enthusiast, George’s life can be seen through the lens of a Red Raider fan. The fumbles and the sacks were challenging and difficult, yet the victories were hopeful and promising. He loved Tech, and after a Football or Basketball game win, he would drive across town to campus to listen to the Victory Bells with the windows down, and his children in the back seat.George was a family man at heart. He had his three children with Karol Tarbox, his wife of 23 years. Fond memories from his children include breakfasts at McDonalds on snow days, showing up as a surprise at the State Mock Trial in Dallas to support his son, seeing Field of Dreams at the Winchester Theater, watching sports and almost never missing an episode of Miami Vice, and taking communion to the home-bound elderly for the Church. He made the simple pleasures of life memorable and the important things meaningful. Some of his most beloved family members were of the four-legged genre. He loved his dogs, and they loved him.“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” – Ernest HemingwaySurvivors include his children, Gregory Flynn Fletcher and wife, Ana; Ryan Robert Fletcher and wife, Cheryl; and Kimberly Nan Ward and husband, Grant; grandchildren, Patrick, Will, and Madeline Fletcher, Lexie Ward, and Hannah Ward; sibling, Susan Pollard and husband, Dick; Robert “Bart” Dennis Fletcher, Jr., and wife, Jeannette; Arthur Boyd Fletcher.He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Dennis and Georgea Mary Fletcher.