John ‘Crow” Fletcher dies at age 85

A former Corbin High School teacher and coach passed away January 1 at age 85.

John “Crow” Fletcher came to Corbin in 1964 to coach basketball and baseball and teach history. He retired in 1997 after 33 years of service to the community.

Diane Mitchell, who taught English at Corbin, had a classroom just down the hall from Fletcher.

“I can remember him coming in to school in the morning with a Moon Pie and an RC Cola,” Mitchell said.

“He was a wonderful person,” Mitchell added explaining that their paths frequently crossed in the community following their teaching days as Fletcher was involved with the food pantry at First Baptist Church while she worked at the food pantry at the Presbyterian church.

Wendell Mitchell said Fletcher was an avid gardener and the two had a friendly rivalry over their vegetable gardens.

“We would come over to each other’s house to inspect each other’s garden. He came out of my garden sometimes just shaking his head,” Wendell Mitchell said.

Fletcher shared that skill with his fellow members at First Baptist Church when the church planted its first community garden in 2015.

“He helped us conceive what the garden could be,” said Austin Carty, Pastor at First Baptist Church adding that Fletcher planted pole beans on the church fence and added forsythia bushes that will continue to add color to the garden.

“He was just generally supportive of the whole idea,” Carty said of Fletcher.

“He was a wonderful man.”

Don Estep, who did play-by-play for Redhounds basketball on the radio, recalled Fletcher as being very cooperative and friendly.

“He was one of my all-time favorite coaches,” Estep said. “We will miss him.”

Fletcher was a Navy veteran, serving during the Korean War.

Fletcher attended Cumberland College and later transferred to and graduated from Union College with a Masters of Arts in Education.

Prior to coming to Corbin, Fletcher taught school and coached basketball for three years at Pendleton County High School in Falmouth.

Fletcher is survived by his wife, Billie, a daughter, Judy Rudder, two grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.