Thelma L. Fletcher, 89, stepped into Jesus’ arms after a hard battle with dementia on September 1, 2026. She was born to Harry and Fern (Taylor) Davis in Cortez, Colorado, on May 20, 1937.

She was married to Glenn “Cotton” Fletcher on her birthday in 1953, until his passing in 1994. To this union, one daughter, Opal, was born.

Thelma was a homemaker, waitress, grocery store clerk, and a caregiver. She told of stories as a waitress meeting Louis Lamour, the famous Western book writer. She was also an avid reader and spent many hours at the library checking out books. She grew up and played at the foothills of Mesa Verde and was very well known and loved in her small hometown of Cortez.

A few years after Cotton passed, she came to Missouri with special friend and companion, Art Dunston. They first settled in Cabool close to his daughter, Charolette Emery, and family. Later, they moved to Mountain View to be close to daughters, Betty Bell and Patsy Rader, along with their families. Art and Thelma did a lot of traveling, visiting friends and family. They enjoyed playing cards, attending rodeos, and going to horse shows.

Thelma was an amazing caretaker, and as Art found his health declining, she was always by his side, making sure he had whatever he wanted and needed. When he passed away in 2020, she chose to stay here and not return to Colorado, but being used to caring for Art, she now found herself with unoccupied time. She loved reading, mowing, and doing yard work, but needed something more, so she began volunteer work at St. Francis Hospital. She would greet people with a smile and direct them where they needed to be. She also helped in the hospital gift shop and the thrift store. She made friends at her work, but then as her health began to decline, she had to give that up.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, long-time companion, brother, Dwayne Davis, and granddaughter, Marcie Ann Stewart-Jacobson.

She is survived by her brother, Floyd “Chris” Davis of Gardena, CA; her sister, Linda Adams (Hank) of Casper, WY; her daughter, Opal Stewart; her grandson, Warren Messinger, along with his children and grandchildren of Cortez, CO; and many nieces, nephews, the Bell Family, Emery Family, and Rader Family.

Thelma, you became a part of our family, and we will miss you, but we are all so happy you are finally at peace. We love you, and as we told Dad as he left, “This is not goodbye, but see you later.”

No services are planned at this time. Cremation arrangements were under the direction of Conner Family Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Mountain Home, Arkansas.