Dan W. Fleetham Sr. Passes Away At 104
Grateful for his life and brotherhood, it is with great sadness that Theta Chi Fraternity announces the passing of Daniel W. Fleetham, Sr. (Alpha/Norwich 1934) to the Chapter Eternal. Brother Fleetham was 104 years old.
Anyone who has attended a Theta Chi International Convention in recent years will recognize Brother Fleetham's name and face. Brother Fleetham started his streak at the 150th Anniversary Convention held at Norwich University and personally welcomed each attendee to his alma mater. Up through this past summer’s 160th Anniversary Convention, Brother Fleetham continued to serve in his ceremonial capacity as the Fraternity's most senior known living initiate. One could even say he was a Theta Chi celebrity, with how frequently lines formed to chat and take pictures with him. “We should charge $5 per picture and donate it to The Foundation Chapter,” his son, Dan Fleetham Jr. (Theta Chi/GC Honorary 2006) once joked. “They’d make a fortune!”
Brother Fleetham lived a unique life. After enrolling in classes at Norwich during the 1930s, he unfortunately faced hardships as a result of the Great Depression. By 1934 he was forced to leave school after his bank failed and left him with no savings to continue his education. To make the most out of this negative situation and align himself to still have a prosperous career, he enlisted with the United States Navy serving aboard the USS Lexington. It was during this time that Dan Sr. was able to further his love for competitive high diving, training numerous naval athletes for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. When World War II came, Chief Petty Officer Fleetham trained naval gunners to bring down enemy planes.
He held numerous other jobs throughout his life, being an inn keeper, working for the National Theatre Supply, establishing a radio/television shop, and serving as the Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds for Belknap College, just to name a few. During his time at Belknap College, he actually made a discovery in the historical Coe Mansion, revealing several secret passage ways once used for the Underground Railroad.
Most notably, The Honorable Dan Fleetham Sr. served for 30 years on the bench as a Lay Judge. Where judges today are required to have extensive legal training, through most of the 20th century, lay judges used their “common sense” as Dan Sr. once put it. These judges would typically rule on minor misdemeanors that resulted in fines. Court would normally be held at his family’s inn, sometimes in the dining room when the space got too crowded. Many in the small town of Canaan, NH knew him as the “25 buck judge” named for the typical fine given after a ruling. The lay judge system was discontinued in New Hampshire in 1982, which is when he retired.
His impact on Theta Chi is evident by the events he continued to attend. In 1992, Brother Fleetham made a point to attend the installation of the Theta Pi Chapter when the men from then-Bridgewater State College elected to hold their installation ceremonies not on the campus of their alma mater, but in Norwich, VT. Following his hosting duties at Norwich in 2006, Brother Fleetham made it a point and a goal to continue to represent Alpha Chapter at each following International Convention, traveling across the country by train to the 152nd Anniversary Convention in Indianapolis, the 154th Anniversary Convention in Orlando, the 156th Anniversary Convention in Palm Springs, the 158th anniversary Convention in Minneapolis, and finally the 160th Anniversary Convention in Atlanta. In addition, Brother Fleetham would often attend Mid-Year Leadership Conferences held in New England and was a fixture at the Theta Chi Founders Day event held each April at Norwich University.
Brother Fleetham was recognized for his dedication to Theta Chi, being awarded the Golden Guard in 2005, the Diamond Brigade in 2007, the Citation of Honor in 2008, and the Theta Chi for Life Award in 2012. While at the 160th Anniversary Convention in Atlanta, he received a standing ovation from the attendees, after a resolution was read recognizing his truly lifelong dedication. At the conclusion of the event, he invited all to the 162nd Anniversary Convention in 2018 with a jovial “See you in Vegas!”
Beyond Theta Chi, Dan Sr. was a member of numerous service-based organizations including the Boy Scouts, Masons, and Scottish Rite Masons. He also founded the Canaan’s Lion Club and was a member of the Weld-Webster American Legion Post 55 where he served the Post as the Sergeant-At-Arms. Brother Fleetham also volunteered with Meals on Wheels for 30 years, a group that delivers home cooked food to the elderly or to those who are unable to cook for themselves. In 2012, Dan Sr. was recognized by New Hampshire Governor John Lynch for his service, declaring February 5, 2012 as "Daniel W. Fleetham Day."
SERVICES: a Celebration of Life will be held at Canaan Hall in Canaan on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at 6 p.m. Memorial Contributions may be made in his name to Theta Chi Fraternity, P.O. Box 503, Carmel, IN 46082; Passaconaway Lodge, OA, Boy Scouts of America 571 Holt Rd.Manchester, NH 03109 or Social-Summit Lodge #50 P.O. Box 113, Canaan, NH 03741-0113.
Theta Chi members throughout the world join in prayerful support of the Fleetham family. Our Fraternity is much better for having counted Daniel Fleetham, Sr. as a member. He was the true embodiment of Theta Chi for Life.
