Former Hawkeye Gary Fletcher Passes

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Former University of Iowa football center Gary Fletcher passed away on April 26, 2026, in Des Moines. He was 83.

Fletcher attended the University of Iowa, where he began as an unrecruited walk-on and eventually made it to first-string center for two years. Fletcher was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection and played in the North-South Shrine Game. Remarkably for an interior lineman, Fletcher also lettered in tennis in 1962 and 1963 for the Hawkeyes.

Following graduatuion in 1965, he served as a freshman coach at Iowa under Jerry Burns. Later, he was an assistant football coach at Drake University under Jack Wallace while also coaching the men’s tennis team. A natural competitor, Gary remained active, competing in tennis tournaments throughout Iowa, and was an avid golfer.

Fletcher also served as a color commentator alongside Jim Zabel broadcasting Hawkeye football games on WHO Radio. Several decades later, the duo would reprise their roles broadcasting games for Arena Football’s Iowa Barnstormers.

Fletcher was also involved in several organizations, including the National Football Foundation, where he served as president of the Iowa chapter.

Visitation will be at Dunn’s Chapel on Monday, May 11, from 5-7 p.m. A funeral will be held at St. Augustin Church on May 12, at 10:30 a.m., followed by a noon reception at the Wakonda Club.