Bob Fletcher, 100, passed away on December 6, 2020. He attended  Phoenix College. Bob served in Africa and Italy during WWII in the Army Air Corps 41st Depot Repair Squadron. For his service, he earned the EAME medal and two bronze stars among others.

His love of farming began in 1938, when at the age of 18 he purchased 320 acres of virgin desert at 83rd Ave. and Deer Valley Rd. That holding eventually grew to 700 acres where he first grew vegetables and cotton before converting to citrus. He was the first to dead level a field to conserve water and in 1966 received the Soil Conservation Award for his efforts. Bob was instrumental in founding the C.A.P. to bring Colorado river water to Central Arizona. He was co-founder and board member of the McMicken Irrigation District #7 which brought cheaper water and electricity to Arizona farmers. During his lengthy business career, he was a real estate broker and general contractor before founding Cobre Tire Company in 1970. Cobre Tire became one of the largest independent tire dealers in the country with a focus on the mining and construction industries. He was co-founder and president of AMIGOS, the organization of Arizona business leaders dedicated to keeping Arizona's mining industry thriving. He received the AMIGOS founders award in 1999.

Bob had two passions outside of farming: hunting and auto racing. He collected the Arizona Big 10 and the North America Sheep Grand Slam. He promoted Cobre Tire Company from 1973-1982 through Fletcher Racing Team which competed in Indy car racing at major venues like the Indianapolis 500. Art Pollard, Bobby Unser, Pancho Carter and Lee Kunzman were a few of the well-known drivers who raced for the team. He became a co-owner of Phoenix International Raceway helping foster many improvements to the facility.

Bob's love of the outdoors and its wildlife prompted him to buy T-Link cattle ranch north of Clifton, AZ in 1968. In 2015, he exchanged T-Link for the 51 Ranch located north of Carefree where he made extensive improvements to better the cattle operation as well as enhance wildlife sustainability. As a member of the Arizona Cattle Growers Assoc., he made lifelong friends in the ranching industry, as well as the Arizona Game & Fish Dept. and the Forest Service. In 2007, Bob was presented the Wildlife Habitat Award from the Game & Fish Dept. and was inducted into the Arizona Farm and Ranch Hall of Fame in 2013.

Bob was a member of the Arizona State Chamber of Commerce, board chairman of Liberty Bank, a member of the Arizona Citrus Grower's Assoc. (Sunkist) and served on the board of ACCEL, a school for the developmentally disabled.

Bob also created an endowment that established the Fletcher Library at ASU West. It was dedicated in 1988 in honor of the Robert L. Fletcher family who pioneered farming and economic development in the West Valley for several generations. The endowment was for the perpetual support of the library. The Fletcher Library was the first building completed on campus and soon after received an Honor Award, the top recognition of design excellence from the Southern Arizona Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Bob’s first wife, Geraldine Wilson, passed away in 1978. In 1997, Bob married Karen McCormick. Bob is survived by his three children, 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his wife, Karen, her four children, 16 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

Due to the pandemic, a private family only service will be held on Sunday, December 13, 2020 at Hansen's Mortuary. A YouTube link will be provided for those wishing to view live.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in honor of Robert L. Fletcher may be mailed to Arizona Agricultural Education/FFA Foundation, P.O. Box 5310 Glendale, Arizona 85312.   (Source: Arizona Republic)