HATFIELD, Thomas Wilbur

HATFIELD, COLLINS, ROBINS, SCHULDT, BOLES, DAVIS, LEE, MURPHY, HUGHES, RAMSEY, SPONSLER, NEFF

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/24/2015 at 08:30:46

Obituary ~ Thomas Wilbur Hatfield
August 23, 1912 ~ February 15, 2002

Osceola Sentinel-Tribune
Osceola, Clarke County, Iowa
February, 2002

Thomas Wilbur Hatfield, son of Grant Hatfield and Elizabeth Collins Hatfield, was born Aug. 23, 1912, in Van Wert and died Feb. 15, 2002, at the Decatur County Hospital in Leon. He was 89.

He lost his father at 13 and at 16 Wilbur and younger brother, Burbank, rented their first farm. He lived on that farm until he married Evelyn Robins on Oct. 23, 1937, in Chariton. They became the parents of a daughter, Joyce Ann.

Mr. Hatfield was a long time resident of Clarke and Decatur Counties. He farmed and worked for Donahue farms near Lacelle for 25 years before he retired in 1977.

As a young man he loved to hunt and trap. He also enjoyed music. Mr. Hatfield learned to play the violin when he was 12. He played with a group called the Ridge Runners for many years.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife in December 1999; two brothers, Dewey and Alva Hatfield; five sisters, Pearl Schuldt, Edith Boles, Merle Davis, Jesse Lee and Nealy Murphy.

Mr. Hatfield is survived by his daughter, Joyce Hughes and her husband, Rae Dean Hughes, of Humeston; two grandchildren, Mitchell Ramsey and his wife, Donna Ramsey and Shellie Sponsler all of Osceola. six great-grandchildren; two sisters, Marie Boles and Irene Neff, both of Osceola; a brother, Burbank Hatfield of Osceola; a sister-in-law, Myrtle Hatfield of Van Wert; as well as other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services for Mr. Hatfield were Feb. 19, at Kale Funeral Home in Osceola, the Rev. Phil Coe of Osceola officiating. Pennie Gonseth, organist, accompanied soloist, Emil Rinderspacher, as he sang The Old Rugged Cross and Precious Memories.

Casket bearers were Jerry Hatfield, Robert Hatfield, John Webb, Boyd Schuldt, Jerry Ramsey and Garrett Hatfield. Honorary bearers were Richard Hatfield, John Donahue, Paul Sanders and Ardath Hall. Interment was in Maple Hill Cemetery at Osceola.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Osceola Public Library.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2015