Robert Pletcher

Born on June 12, 1927

Departed on November 22, 2020

Dr. Robert E. Pletcher, PhD, Age 93 years, November 22, 2020, was the head of the Metropolitan Nashville Schools Fine Arts and Art Education program, beginning when there was only one art teacher in Davidson County and building the program up to near universal coverage. Mr. Pletcher was a professor at the Vanderbilt University Peabody Campus and Department Head of the Fine Arts and Art Education program. He is listed in Who's Who in American Education, and served as president of the Tennessee Branch of the National Art Education Association.
He is preceded in death by his parents Paul Ruben Pletcher, Florence E. Patterson Pletcher, and son, Gary Alan Pletcher. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Geraldine Munson Pletcher, and son, Paul H. Pletcher (Janet), both of Nashville, Tennessee.
Mr. Pletcher was born in the small rural village of Conneautville, Pennsylvania on June 12, 1927. In 1945 as a high school senior, he and his basketball team at Conneaut Valley High School, were undefeated and went on to compete in the State Finals. After high school he enlisted in the United States Navy, and then earned a BA degree at Edinboro State Teachers College, Pennsylvania. In 1949 he married his high school sweetheart and together they raised two sons. Mr. Pletcher taught high school art classes at his hometown Conneaut Valley High School for twenty years where he also served as a basketball coach, summer camp director, Cub Scout and Boy Scout troop leader serving as a role model and mentor many young men showing them what a Christian man and a dad should be. He earned his Masters of Fine Arts and Doctorate Degrees from Pennsylvania State University in the mid 1960's and late 1960s. He was a 32nd Degree Mason, a member of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee, and Al Menah Shriners.
During his career of teaching, coaching, and private mentorship activities he helped thousands of young people with their careers and life issues.
He and his family enjoyed travel, hiking, Dalmatians and German Shepherds, camping, boating, water and snow skiing, Nashville Symphony, and other social/cultural engagement. As an accomplished sculptor of large pieces of walnut and Carrera marble, many of his pieces have been exhibited in art galleries,and exist in numerous private residences and corporate offices around Nashville. He enjoyed maintaining his wooded property in West Meade, Nashville, and spending the winter months at the family cottage at Pass-a-Grille Beach, Florida.
In response to receiving a June, 1971, notoriety as Artist of the Month by WPLN, Mr. Pletcher stated: "to enjoy living one must be sensitive to the qualities of life manifest in the environment and mankind, to enjoy living one must have the capacity to love and this is a prerequisite to art. Therefore I believe art is love."
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers memorials can be sent to the numerous Shriners Hospital and charity programs.