Rhodes community mourns Mrs Jinny Fletcher
Mrs Jinny Fletcher, whose warm hospitality at Rhodes House from 1980 to 1989 was deeply appreciated by Rhodes Scholars, has passed away, aged 88.
Jinny May Cornish married Dr Robin Fletcher in 1950, and they had two sons, Clive and Denys.
When Dr Fletcher served as Warden of Rhodes House, Oxford, in the 1980s, Mrs Fletcher was especially renowned for extending generous and thoughtful hospitality, including in Sunday lunches to which Rhodes Scholars were regularly invited. She was deeply committed to the well-being of Scholars, and, for example, looked after many when they were ill or injured, and hosted those in Oxford at Christmas time to a very welcome meal at Rhodes House.
As well as extending a warm welcome to Rhodes alumni and parents visiting Oxford, she travelled throughout the Rhodes constituencies with Dr Fletcher, documenting their travels in her diaries.
On the Fletchers' retirement in 1989, they moved to Orkney. Mrs Fletcher passed away quietly in their home there on Wednesday, 21 July 2010. She was surrounded by family.
The current Warden of Rhodes House, Dr Donald Markwell (Queensland & Trinity 1981), said that he, like so many others, remembered Mrs Fletcher with great affection and admiration. He was certain that he spoke for countless members of the Rhodes community in expressing profound gratitude for all that Mrs Fletcher had done for Rhodes Scholars, and in extending deepest sympathy to Dr Fletcher and the Fletcher family.
The Rhodes House Accountant during the Fletcher years, Mrs Peggy Cetti, remembered Mrs Fletcher as a 'very fine lady, sympathetic, and with a very quick wit'.
Mrs Fletcher's funeral service will be held in the East Chapel of the Aberdeen Crematorium on the afternoon of Tuesday, 3 August.
The Rhodes Trust flag is flying at half mast at Rhodes House as a mark of respect for Jinny Fletcher.
Please click here for an announcement in The Times, and here for an announcement in The Daily Telegraph.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010:
At Mrs Fletcher's funeral in Aberdeen today, the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, the Rt Revd Dr Robert Gillies, spoke of her great gift of hospitality, and how much this was appreciated by so many. He spoke of how warmly she provided a helping hand to Rhodes Scholars who were 'ill, injured, marooned in Oxford, or marooned by love'.
As well as by family and by other friends, the service was attended by the Warden of Rhodes House, Dr Donald Markwell (who was also representing Trinity College, Oxford), and the previous Warden of Rhodes House, Sir Colin Lucas.
Dr Markwell has passed on to Dr Robin Fletcher the grateful memories and condolences of dozens of Rhodes Scholars who have been in touch with him, for which Dr Fletcher is very grateful.
