Mr. Tommy C. Hatcher, Sr.

Tommy Connell Hatcher Sr. was born January 24, 1934 in Okahumpka Florida to the late Henry Hatcher and Hattie Thompson Hatcher. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife Annie Mae Burt Hatcher, two brothers, Bernard Hatcher, and Othello Hatcher, and four sisters, Hazel McKinney, Lillie Mae Little, Dorothy Rolle, and Rosa Williams. He is survived by three sisters, Annie Johnson of Rochester NY, Minnie Rolle of Ft. Pierce FL, and Ruth Stinson, of Rochester NY. Tommy began his education at Okahumpka Elementary School. He continued on to Lake County Training School in Leesburg Florida, where he played football and baseball under the leadership of Coach Hubert Dabney. He was an excellent athlete. When Tommy’s two older brothers were away serving their country in the military, the responsibility for his mother and sister’s wellbeing fellon his shoulders, as a result Tommy began to work and provide for his mother and siblings at an early age. Tommy work in construction for a number of years observing and learning as worked. Later in life he was an accomplished heavy equipment operator for International Harvester, John Deer, and HC Connell until retirement. As he was such an industrious man, after retirement, he worked for the Leesburg Police Department as Crossing Guard.. Tommy was a member of Okahumpka African Methodist Episcopal church for many years where he served as a Deacon of the church. At the age of 50 Tommy attended a service to support his daughter Bonnie where she spoke at Pastor Charlie Little’s church on a program. The message was “Elevate Your Mind and Let’s Go Higher”. That night Tommy felt a call on his life for a closer walk with God. After leaving church that night Tommy called his family together in the middle of the night and said, “I want to be saved”. Tommy tarried in the middle of his living room that night and was filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of “speaking in tongues”. From that point in his life Tommy felt the call to work collaboratively with his sister Elder Lillie Little tohelp build God’s house. Tommy worked tirelessly after work daily for years accompanied by other volunteers to build God’s house. After the church’s completion and dedication, Tommy joined Holy Temple Church of the Living God, Pillar and Ground of the Truth where he served faithfully as a deacon until he moved to Batavia NY. Tommy was very much an outdoorsman. He loved, hunting, fishing and swimming. He shared his hobbies with family and friends. He taught his children to hunt, swim, and fish. Tommy was above all else a family man. He was a devoted husband and father. He loved spending time with his wife, Annie Mae, his children, all the grandchildren, and other family members and friends. He was also very civic minded and believed in helping others in the community especially the elders. Many people in the Okahumpka community called him “Okahumpka’s Handyman”. Whenever a family had a home improvement project or needed a repairman to fix something, Tommy was there to build and repair for those in need. He used the skills God gave him to “build old waste places” and he was a “repairer of the breach and a restorer of paths to dwell in” for many citizens of Okahumpka and all that he encountered in witness for God. Tommy leaves to mourn his four children who will miss him dearly; Tommy Connell Hatcher Jr. (Judith) of Spanaway WA, Selina Maria Smith (Jonathan) of Batavia NY, Bonnie Sue Hatcher-Smith of Lakewood WA, Wanda Kay Hatcher of Batavia, NY; 18 grandchildren, 21 great-grandgrandchildren,a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family, and friends.

Tributes

Mr. Tommy C. Hatcher, Sr.

January 24, 1934 - April 16, 2018