Alvina V. Fletcher

Alvina V. Fletcher passed away peacefully on December 27, 2014 at the age of 96. She began her final Christmas day opening presents and ended the day battling pneumonia in Intensive Care, where she remained until she took her last breath, with her daughter by her side. Alvina was born in New Haven, CT on November 5, 1918 to Paul DeLorenzo of Viggiano, Italy and Rose Anna Corio DeLorenzo of Jersey City, NJ. Her father, a violinist, was one of six siblings, all professional musicians, including the internationally acclaimed flutist Leonardo DeLorenzo. After graduating from Hamden High School in 1937, Alvina studied biological sciences at Albertus Magnus College, earning a B.A., cum laude, in 1941. She did lab work for New Haven Dairy and New York Hospital (affiliated with Cornell) before moving to San Francisco in 1952 where she assisted in medical research at UCSF Hospital. Alvina married a career Army officer in 1953, happily shifted into life as a military wife and homemaker, started a family, and moved every year from one posting to another, spending six years in Germany before settling in Walnut Creek in 1964. Throughout her life, Alvina's interest in science and nature never waned. She loved animals, especially her rescue pup, Rusty. She enjoyed music and theatre and travel. She spent her later years studying languages and she became an accomplished and prolific quilter. She was a devoted wife and mother; loving, joyful, sweet and kind. Alvina was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Don Smith Fletcher, Lt. Col., US Army (Ret.) and by her only sibling, Elizabeth Young of Renton WA. She is survived by her daughter Donna Rose Fletcher of Walnut Creek, sons David Paul Fletcher of Pleasant Hill and Daniel Anthony Fletcher of Omaha NE, grandson Colin Woodruff Fletcher, granddaughter Brittany Fletcher Seyb, Brittany's husband Justin, and great-grandchildren Brianna Isabelle and Benjamin Maxwell Seyb, all of Austin TX. Alvina saw her grandkids and great-grandkids one last time just 12 days before her passing. Others she held most dear include her nephew Marc Lorenzo Young and his family, and her closest friend of 62 years, June Richard of Lafayette. Memorial donations may be made to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum, 1931 First Avenue, Walnut Creek CA, 94597. No services are planned. No services to be held