In Memoriam: Paul Fletcher, MD (March 2, 1953 - June 15, 2025)
Paul Robert Fletcher passed away peacefully at home on June 15, 2025, surrounded by his wife and daughters. He was 72 and had lived with metastatic prostate cancer for over six years.
Paul was born at Swedish Hospital in Seattle to Bob and Betty Fletcher and attended Laurelhurst Elementary, Eckstein Middle School, Roosevelt and Franklin High Schools. He earned his AB from Harvard College and his MD from the University of Washington.
For more than 35 years, Paul served as a beloved family medicine physician and healthcare leader at Group Health and Kaiser Permanente. Deeply committed to patients and care teams alike, Paul led with humility, compassion, and curiosity. Paul was both an astute historian but also a clear-thinking futurist. He translated so well how the past could be built upon for a robust path forward. He was instru- mental in both the transaction with Kaiser Permanente as well as the subsequent full integration of Group Health into the new organization. Paul was nationally known as a powerful thought partner, leader, healer, and teacher. He left a re- markable and indelible impact on the care of the geriatric population in Washington. In a few words, he touched and made all of our lives better. Paul cared deeply about the people he served. For over a decade, he commuted by ferry to care for his panel of patients in Port Orchard, Washington. He also gave his time generously as a volunteer physician—on the ski patrol at Hyak at Snoqualmie Pass, in a USAID hospital on the island of Barbuda, on the "Semester at Sea" summer cruise ship to Alaska, at the King County free clinic, and as a medical rider on the Seattle-to-Portland bike ride. He performed two rescues at sea for the Canadian Coast Guard.
An avid outdoorsman, Paul was a skilled ski racer and sailor in his youth, and summited Mount Rainier twice. He passed his love of nature on to his family—sailing to Desolation Sound, sailboat racing at the Laurelhurst Beach Club with his daughters as crew, and hiking the Wonderland Trail with friends and extended family. He skied with elegant parallel turns, joyfully teaching the next generation, especially his grandchildren. He and Sue treasured ski trips with friends and family at home and abroad.
Paul loved being on the water and working with his hands. He helped build the family cabin in Parker Harbour, crafted treehouses with grandchildren, and devoted countless hours to maintaining his beloved wooden flatty and later, the family tugboat, OWL.
Paul met his wife, Sue Donaldson, in middle school. They raced sailboats together, attended Harvard, and married shortly after graduation. Their journey took them to graduate schools in Seattle—where daughter Kate was born—then to New York for Paul's residency, where daughters Emily and Laura followed, and finally back home to Seattle.
Paul cherished the deep friendships he sustained throughout his life, many of which began in childhood. He will be remembered for his kindness, his calm presence, his wise counsel, and his quick wit.
Paul is survived by his wife, Sue; daughters Kate, Emily, and Laura; grandchildren Tove, Oliver, Lydia, Daphne, Evelyn, and Wyatt; siblings Susan, Willy and Kathy. His spirit lives on in each of them, and in the countless lives he touched.
Paul's family is deeply grateful for the excellent care he received through Kaiser Permanente and Swedish, and for the precious time they were given together after his diagnosis.
A Celebration of his Life will be held in October. Email PaulFletcherMemorial@gmail.com for details.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the organization of your choice; Paul's favorites were Washington Trails Association, Classical King FM and Seattle Public Library Foundation.
His was a full life, well-lived and he is greatly missed.
