Phyllis Fletcher, a longtime faculty member in the School of Nursing, passed away Nov. 14. Phyllis became a clinical educator at Wichita State in 1987. During her time at WSU, Phyllis taught didactic leadership classes, managed the skills learning lab and was instrumental in starting a critical care didactic course and corresponding clinical practicums. Phyllis had a profound influence on many people in the School of Nursing and is remembered as a wonderful person and mentor. She retired in 2017 and is a member of the Bender of Twigs.
Phyllis graduated from Roosevelt High School in Emporia, Kansas in 1967 and Bethany Hospital School of Nursing in 1971. She married her husband, Lee, in 1973 and they had two children, Rachel and Jim. She graduated from WSU with her BS in Nursing in 1976 and earned her master’s degree in 1980. Phyllis worked as a nursing instructor at the Wesley School of Nursing and later as a staff nurse in the Coronary Care Unit. Her areas of clinical practice were medical surgical nursing, with the specialty area of critical care nursing.
After retirement Phyllis stayed active through volunteering at Guadalupe Clinic, Senior Services (Meals on Wheels), United Methodist Open Door (Klothes Kloset), and Wesley Hospital. She was also a member of the Nurses Honor Guard, a group of volunteer nurses who pay tribute to nurses at the time of their death by performing the Nightingale Tribute at the funeral or memorial service. She enjoyed playing pickleball, shopping, baking, gardening and traveling. Phyllis and her husband, Lee, took great pride in growing and maintaining Rachel’s Garden, in memory of their daughter who passed away in 2006. The garden was featured in the 2022 Wichita Garden Tour.
A celebration of life will be held in spring 2024. Donations can be made to the following memorials: Open Door for Klothes Kloset (P.O. box 2756, Wichita, KS 67201-2756) and the Rachel Fletcher Memorial Scholarship through WSU Foundation and Alumni Engagement (donations can be made online or donors can mail a check to 1845 Fairmount, box 2 Wichita, KS 67260 and reference Rachel Fletcher in the memo).