Hatch, Steven Lee (1948-2015)

HATCH, MCBRIDE, GUSTAFSON, MILLARD, SUEPPEL

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 8/31/2015 at 22:15:49

Steven Lee Hatch
July 13, 1948 - August 6, 2015

Steven Lee Hatch, age 67, of Nemaha, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, August 6, 2015, at the Black Hawk Life Care Center in Lake View.

Steven Hatch, the third and final boy in the family, was born on July 13, 1948, in Sac City to Elwood and Finis (McBride) Hatch. Baptized and confirmed at the Early United Methodist Church, he attended school at Early and Crestland (Early and Nemaha).

Steve spent most of his life in the Early and Nemaha areas where he enjoyed farming with his father. Unfortunately, a marriage to Judy Gustafson, later, ended in divorce. After his parents retired from farming, Steve worked several jobs in the area including thirteen years at Bil-Mar Foods (Sara Lee) in Storm Lake. During this time, he moved to his grandparents’ farm west of Nemaha. Steve was still living on the family farm at the time of his recent hospitalization.

In 2003, Steve had to retire from Bil-Mar Foods because of his breathing problems. Nonetheless, he never gave up his love for the farm, and although he had to restrict his activities, he spent many happy years caring for his lawn and raising a large garden.

Steve preferred living by himself, but he did offer his friendship to a local woman who, also, seemed content to live alone. That started a twelve-year friendship during which they would spend their Sunday afternoons driving around on gravel roads checking out crops, livestock, and farmsteads. They, also, dabbled in raising a few pigs together, rode a 4-wheeler over the pasture, and had fun bailing hay, spreading manure, and grinding corn with Steve’s antique farm equipment. In addition, Steve continued tending to a few barn cats and geese.

Steve suffered a stroke on June 21, 2015, and fought a valiant battle to regain his speech and the use of his right arm and leg, but a subsequent stroke in his final week took away his chance for recovery.

He is survived by his brother, Don Hatch, and his wife, Mary Ellen, of Sac City; his nieces and nephews: Kevin (Katie) Hatch, of Sac City, Kandi (Dan) Millard, of Carroll, Karmel (Tom) Sueppel, of West Des Moines, and Klint (Kristie) Hatch, of Sioux Rapids; and as well as by extended family members; and his friend, Marlys Waters, of Nemaha.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Elwood and Finis Hatch; his brother, Roger Hatch; and all his grandparents.

A graveside service will take place at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, August 15, 2015, at the Nemaha Cemetery, Nemaha, Iowa.

Copyright © 2015, Farber & Otteman Funeral Homes & Cremation Center, Sac City, Iowa

Buena Vista Obituaries maintained by LaVern Velau.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen