Submitted by: Dan Rich

Vernon E. Hatfield

March 31, 1917 - Dec. 19, 2001

South Bend Tribune 12/21/2001

Vernon E. Hatfield, 84, passed away peacefully at home December 19.

He was born March 31, 1917, in Detroit, Mich., to Charles and Ella Hatfield, both of whom preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Lowell Hatfield and Dorland Hatfield; a daughter, Lynnette Clark; and by a grandson, Keith Singleton.

He was married on June 15, 1946, in Indianapolis, Ind., to Dorothy Gillespie, who survives. He is also survived by three sons, Jack (Sandy) of York, Pa., Gregory (Christina) of San Francisco, Calif., and Phillip (Connie) of Gaithersburg, Md.; a daughter, Francean (Jeffrey) Moad of Stevensville, Mich.; nine grandchildren, Kristianne Eger, Carmen Riddle, Vincent Hatfield, Brad Hatfield, Yvonne Hatfield, Steven Spicer, William Pace, MuNing Hatfield and Marshall Hatfield; and by eight great-grandchildren.

He was a veteran of World War II, serving with the U.S. Army Air Corps in the Pacific. Following the war, he settled in the South Bend, Ind., area. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 1987. He was a member of the Apostolic Temple in South Bend.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Palmer Funeral Home, 2528 Mishawaka Avenue, South Bend, with Rev. Peter Rowe officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park, Granger, Ind. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.