Dr. Kari Fletcher

Dr. Kari Lynne Fletcher of St. Paul, MN passed away peacefully on the 13th of February, following a brave battle with cancer. She was 48.

Kari was a Full Professor, MSW Program Director and Military Practice Coordinator at the University of St. Thomas School of Social Work and a leader in her field. Earlier in her career she served as a clinical social worker for ten years at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Minneapolis, where her work with veterans and their family members shaped her interest in military social work. In addition to numerous published papers and presentations on this topic, she helped the St. Thomas School of Social Work launch its military social work curricula and was a Visiting Scholar at the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. She was also on the board of directors for the Minnesota Psychoanalytic Society and Institute Psychotherapy Center for ten years, and served as Co-President of the Minnesota Council on Social Work Education for five years. In addition to her academic work, she maintained a private practice in St. Paul as a psychotherapist/clinical social worker helping others process pain and live their best lives.

She earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Social Work at Smith College in Northampton, MA in 2012; her Master of Social Work from Widener University in Philadelphia in 1999; and a BA from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN in 1997. She grew up in West Des Moines, IA and attended Valley High School.

She is survived by her partner, Atul Kumar, of Minneapolis; parents, Bill and Judy Fletcher of West Des Moines, IA; sisters Kristin Fletcher (Charles Gladfelter) of North Barrington, IL and Kelly (Jeff) Robertson of Inver Grove Heights, MN; nieces Lily, Greta, Katy and nephew Maxwell; as well as aunts, uncles and many friends and colleagues, who will all dearly miss Kari and her infectious energy, love of life and the profound impact she had on so many through her research and work.

A visitation and interfaith service in Kari's memory will be held at the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas on the St. Paul campus of St. Thomas on Saturday, February 25, 2023. Visitation will be from 12PM - 1 PM, immediately followed by the service and a reception afterward . In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Thomas School of Social Work in the Morrison Family College of Health [Donate here] or the Fight Colorectal Cancer foundation: https://fightcolorectalcancer.org.