Fletcher Draper Wideman

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Hi, I'm Reverend Fletcher (Fletch) D. Wideman and I was born March 21,1936 in Wetumpka, Alabama to Ewell Fletcher Wideman and Priscilla (Draper) Wideman. I enjoyed a very active childhood and youth in Wetumpka in the local United Methodist Church and at school where I played varsity football and other sports. Boy Scouts and camping were important also. I truly loved my home town and all the special memories. My close connection to the ministers at his Methodist Church greatly influenced my call to ministry after high school graduation in 1954.

While attending Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 a friend introduced me to Shirley Embry on a blind date and when she entered Troy State University in September 1955.  I decided to transfer to Troy also in January 1956. Both Shirley and I graduated from Troy State and were married in 1957 for 64 years.

During this time I served three years as a student pastor of Methodist churches in Alabama, one of which was the home church of George Wallace.  In June 1961, after I had been accepted at The Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado Shirley and I and our young son. We headed for Colorado where I served a Methodist student pastorates in the Arkansas Valley at Olney Springs, and then Wiley and McClave over the next five years until I graduated from Iliff in 1966.

Upon graduation from Iliff, I entered the U.S. Army as a Chaplain and served my first year at Fort Carson, Colorado and during the next 20 years I would serve assignments in Thailand, Fort Sheridan, IL, Vietnam, two locations in Germany, Fort Hamilton, NY, Letterman Hospital at Presidio San Francisco, CA, Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Denver, Johnston Island in the Pacific and back to Fitzsimons where I retired in 1986.  While in the military I obtained a Masters in Guidance and Counseling from Long Island University and achieved advanced standing in Clinical Pastoral Education with board certification and lifetime membership.

Some of the military awards I received were: Vietnam Service Medal with 4 Bronze Stars, Vietnamese Cross of Galantry with palm; Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster; Air Medal with V Device; Meritorious Service Medal and Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and V Device.

The special interest and focus of my ministry has been justice and ethics regarding race relations, GLBTQ and immigration issues and medical ethics.  Classes, seminars, retreats and presentations on grief, end of life decisions, guided imagery and meditations, “I Can Cope”, spirituality, trust and sexuality were vital parts of my ministry.  During this time, I dealt directly with over 5,000 deaths and over 500 funerals.

I served as president of PLAG, of Samaritans of Montana and the Montana Chaplains Association.  I was very involved in the Human Rights Network, No Longer Silent Clergy for Justice, Crosswalk America and local hospice and ethics committees while in Arizona.

My hobbies have included travel to 22 different countries (some courtesy of the U.S. Army), hunting, fishing, camping, reading, writing poetry, and participation in small group discussions on major issues. I have made friends all over the world and have tried to stay in touch through the years.  Getting together with friends was a great joy to me.

There are five major decisions that have significantly influenced my life and ministry - leaving Alabama, Graduating from The Iliff School of Theology, Military Chaplaincy (especially hospital chaplaincy) and moving my ministerial credentials in 2004, after 47 years as a United Methodist Minister, to the Congregational United Church of Christ that provided caring support to my ministry.  I served as a member of the Justice and Witness Committee in the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ.

I am survived by my loving wife Shirley, son Mark (LaTonia), adopted daughter/granddaughter Brittany, grandson Joshua, Granddaughter Shyanna; and great grandson Eli; brother Hampton (Monnie); Brother in Law (Gene); along with many nieces and nephews and dear friends.  Preceding me in death in addition to my parents were my grandson Matthew, great grandson Jayden and daughter Deeanna Gaston (9/6/21) (Edward).