Joseph M. Fletcher

A funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, Nov. 6, for lifelong Dundalk resident Joseph Michael "Skip" Fletcher, 55, who died Nov. 3 after a brief illness with cancer.

The Mass begins at noon at St. Ursula Roman Catholic Church, 8801 Harford Road. Interment will follow at Oak Lawn Cemetery.

A 1966 graduate of Dundalk High School and that year's Class Clown, Mr. Fletcher held an associate's degree from Baltimore City Community College. He worked as a police dispatcher for the Maryland Department of Transportation.

A self-taught musician, he played drums and sang with his family's band, Fletcher's Fantasy, and was a drummer, singer and assistant conductor for CCBC Essex's big band, Night Train. He also played French horn, banjo and piano. Years ago, he taught music at the Catholic High School of Baltimore.

"His Harley-Davidson," said his brother David J. Fletcher, "was his pride and joy." He also loved playing poker with his brothers, nephew and friends.

Other survivors are mother Jean N. Fletcher (nee Allegro), brothers James, Robert, Richard and Ashton V. Fletcher Jr., sisters Angela E. Dencler and Jeannie N. Perrie, 16 nieces and nephews and many other family members. He was predeceased by his father, Ashton V. Fletcher Sr.

Visitation at the Schi-munek Funeral Home, 9705 Belair Road, was scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.