Fletcher A. Yates, Sr., age 74, a resident of Irving, Texas for 35 years died Monday, June 21, 2010 at Baylor Medical Center at Irving. Fletcher was born November 26, 1935 in Lawrenceburg, Indiana to Robert and Alice Ware Yates. Fletcher graduated from Lockland Wayne High School in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1953. He attended Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee and the University of Cincinnati in Ohio where he earned an Associates Degree. In 1953 Fletcher was a member of the Ohio State Champions Basketball Team and a member of an undefeated football team. He was the All Tournament 1st Team scorer, was on the All City Enquirer and Post Newspaper team and elected to the 1st Team All State, and the south All Star 1st Team. He was the second leading scorer in the city. Fletcher was also a member of the AAU State Champs as a player and coach. Fletcher served two years in Korea and received All Army 1st Team in Basketball honors. In 1979, he toured Taiwan, China as part of the American Baseball Federation. Fletcher gave many hours of service in coaching girls, boys, and men in basketball and baseball. He was selected as one of the Top 50 Players Who Left Their Mark as featured in the Cincinnati Post on December 10, 1999. Fletcher moved to Irving, Texas and made his mark of distinction in a variety of ways. He was a member of Plymouth Park Baptist Church. Fletcher was a member of the Irving Symphony Board and vice-president for two years. He was a member of the Independent Bank Board for five years. Fletcher served on the Health Care Executive Forum through the Irving Independent Schools Needs Assessment Committee and was a Dallas County School Board member for 14 years. He served as a member of the North Texas Council of Governors for 10 years, the Texas Educational Black Caucus for 10 years and as the District 10 Representative of the Texas Educational Association for 14 years. He was a member of the Texas Association of School Boards for 10 years and served on the State National Pupil Transportation board for 10 years. He was a member of the Metro African American School Board Association for five years. He served on the Bear Creek Development Corporation Board for 15 years. He was President of the Irving Black Arts Council for five years. He was a founding member of the NAACP Irving, Texas Branch and served as Vice President and Executive Vice-President. In 1989, Fletcher received the Irving, Texas High Spirited Citizens Award and the DECT Silent Hero Award in 2007 for his tireless work in the community. After 32 years of nearly perfect attendance, Fletcher retired from American Airlines where he worked as a Supervisor of Passenger Service training and evaluating Agents to prepare them to be successful in the workplace. Fletcher leaves to rejoice in the memory of his life: his wife of 49 years, Ginny S. Yates of Irving; daughter, Jina Johnson and husband Kevin Johnson of Grand Prairie; son, Fletcher Yates, Jr. and wife Lynn Yates of Ohio; grandchildren, Randy Bennett, Robert Alexander, Sean Yates, Evan Yates, Kevin Johnson II and Jordan Johnson. Also surviving him are his brother, Tony Yates and wife Maxine Yates (Brianna and Anthony); and sister, Mildred Croley (Denise, Reggie and Lauren) and many other family members and friends. A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, July 12, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at Plymouth Park Baptist Church, 1714 North Story Road, Irving, Texas. The interment will be at 10:00 a.m. at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, Texas. A second Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. at Gwen Mooney Funeral Home, 4521 Spring Grove Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio at the Spring Grove Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.