Joe Branch HATCHER

Joe Branch
July 28, 1936 - June 1, 2012
Married Irma Gail Collins Apr 18, 1957

*Obituary

Irma Gail Hatcher
of Little Rock, AR

October 30, 1938 - July 25, 2021

Irma Gail Hatcher went to be with the Lord on July 25, 2021. She was 82 years old.Irma Gail Hatcher was born in Fort Worth Texas on October's 30, 1938.She attended Poly High School graduating in 1956. She married the love of her life Joe Hatcher at 18 years old. While married she graduated from Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas with a degree in education. She taught 4th grade at Baldwin Elementary for years while raising three children.As her husband Joe was promoted, they made several moves from Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas to Park College in Parkville, Missouri to Albion College in Albion, Michigan and finally to Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas where her husband was the President of Hendrix College. After the move from Baldwin Irma Gail gave up her teaching job and served as a volunteer teacher both at the school and the church.She was very creative and also taught art classes as well. Her favorite forms of art changed throughout the years from painting, to drawing, to needlepoint and eventually found a final passion with quilting. She became a master quilter, many times spending over a year on a quilt while working 8 hours a day on one quilt year round. Her quilts were masterpieces and 3 of them are in the National Quilting Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. Her quilt ''Conway Album-I'm not from Baltimore'' was named one of the 100 Best Quilts of the Twentieth Century.Her quilts graced the covers of numerous national magazines and publications. She taught quilting classes, was the of the President and Founder of the Conway Quilters and she wrote numerous quilting books. She was named an Arkansas Treasure for her work and recognized by the Governor and The Arkansas Historical Society.The Hatcher family is known for its competitive fire, but few knew where it originally stemmed from. Irma Gail was a fierce competitor when she was passionate about something. She wanted her quilts to be the best ever and they were. In her younger days she was certainly a clutch tennis player as well. If she wanted to do something she got it done and if she didn't want to do something she was just as strong. In her final years she had 9 lives making it through countless medical procedures most would not survive. She wanted to live and was a fighter and fought through it. In the end after being in the hospital for 11 days she regained consciousness and asked us to let her go be with lord. She got to say goodbye to her family and caregivers and passed on to heaven with her three children holding her hand.She had a great sense of humor and was always ready for fun. Her husband was disciplined and steady but Irma Gail provided the passion and fun to make his life better. They will be joined together again.Irma Gail is predeased by her father and mother Mr. and Mrs L. G. Collins, and her husband Dr. Joe B. Hatcher. She is survived by her 3 Children and their spouses Greg Hatcher (Lee Hatcher), Geoff Hatcher (Caroline Hatcher) of Little Rock and Gailyn Strobing (Rob Strobing) of St. Louis, Missouri, 6 grandchildren - Kelsey Dacus (Weston Dacus ) , Haley Weaver (Walter Weaver), Larkin Hatcher, Layne Hatcher, Mattie Hatcher, Geoffrey Hatcher and Lynley Childress, her Sister Sharon Green (Bill Green) of Granbury Texas, a niece Laura Palmer (Chris Palmer) of Flower Mound, Texas and Nephew Chris Green (Kristi Green)also of Fort Worth, Texas, and 4 Great Grandchildren - Kate Dacus, A.J. Dacus, Jordy Dacus, and Henry Weaver.Irma Gail spent many of her church years at the Conway United Methodist Church before joining Trinity Presbyterian Church when she moved to Little Rock to be closer to her children. Visitation will be held at Roller McNutt Funeral Home (801 8th Avenue) in Conway from 5 to 8 pm on Monday, August 2nd . The funeral for Irma Gail Hatcher will be held at Hendrix College's Greene Chapel (1600 Washington Avenue) on Tuesday August 3rd at 11 am with Graveside services being held in Conway at Oak Grove Cemetary at 305 Bruce Street shortly afterwards.Memorials can be made to Trinity Presbyterian Church, 4501 Rahling Road, Little Rock, Arkansas 72223 or Hendrix College, 1600 Washington Avenue, Conway AR 72032

https://www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/new/memorialpage.asp?id=59907&locid=14

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Obituary
legacy.com/obituaries/thecabin/obituary

Joe Branch Hatcher was born on July 28, 1936, died at the age of 75 on June 1, 2012.
Joe grew up in Fort Worth, Texas before moving to Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, and finally residing in Arkansas when he came to Conway to become the President of Hendrix College in 1981. He served as the President of Hendrix College from 1981 to 1991 and then went to work for First Commercial Bank as a Vice Chairman.
In his last years he served as the Headmaster at Pulaski Academy on an interim basis on two different occasions. In between that time he was a consultant for colleges and for placement companies finding college executives. He also worked for Fred Huston Consulting.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Irma Gail Hatcher, his son and daughter-in-law, Greg and Lee Hatcher, his son Geoff Hatcher, his daughter and son-in-law Gailyn and Rob Strobing, Tammy and Bryon Childress, and his six grandchildren, Kelsey, Haley, Larkin, Layne, and Mattie Hatcher, Lindley Childress, and his dog, Rudy.
Dr. Hatcher graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelor's Degree in English; he received his Master's Degree and his Doctorate from Kansas University in English in 1969. Following graduation he went to work at Baker University as an English Professor where he was promoted to the Chairman of the English Department and then went to Park College in Parkville, Missouri where he became the Vice President of Development, he later moved to Albion College in Albion, Michigan where he was the Vice President of Development before moving to Conway, Arkansas to become the President at Hendrix College in 1981.
Dr. Hatcher was very involved in the community serving on numerous boards and charities. He was very active in the community serving as Chairman of CARTI, The Arthritis Foundation , President of the Conway Chamber of Commerce, the First Commercial Bank Board, the UCA Foundation Board, he Chaired two book clubs, and also served on the Conway Hospice Committee. What he loved most was watching his grandchildren play sports, reading his books, and he particularly enjoyed his two book clubs he regularly attended. In his younger years he was very active as a runner, tennis player, and did have a very competitive spirit which he passed on to his kids and grandkids. His family most of all remembers him as an extremely intelligent, very kind and gentle person who was always there not as the center of attention, but with a dry, witty, and sarcastic sense of humor. He was also the number #1 sports fan for his grandkids attending all of their Mighty Bluebirds, Pulaski Academy, and Central Arkansas Christian sporting events. He will be greatly missed by his family and the community.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Greene Chapel located on the campus of Hendrix College.
Burial will be at Oak Grove Cemetery in Conway.
Visitation will be from 6:30-8 p.m. Monday at Roller-McNutt Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Hendrix College.
Online guestbook www.rollerfuneralhomes.com .

Published in The Log Cabin Democrat from June 4 to June 11, 2012

Contributed on 7/21/16 by hawkinsdonna
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