Elvin Hatch

Coach Elvin Commodore Hatch, 87, a resident of South Fulton died Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 24, 2017, at the Tennessee State Veterans Home in Humboldt.
Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday at White-Ranson Funeral Home with Dr. Bobby Williams officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow in New Hope Cemetery near Yuma at 2:30 Friday afternoon.
Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
The family requests memorials be sent to: Obion County Central High School Girls’ basketball program, 528 Highway 51 North, Troy, TN 38260.
Pallbearers will be Trey Cleek, Matthew Cleek, Chris Hatch, Gary Hatch, Randy Hatch, Bobby Lynn Dill, Kurt Wesner and Barry Waugh.
Coach Hatch was born on Nov. 3, 1929, son of the late Granville Leroy and Verlie Mae (Haywood) Hatch. He married the former Mary Jo Waugh on Oct. 7, 1950, and she passed away July 17, 1978.
He was a veteran of the United States Army. He was a retired high school teacher, basketball coach and farmer, having coached at Palmersville High School, Dyer High School, Atwood High School and Obion County Central High School from 1966-1982. Coach Hatch coached 999 games with a winning percentage of over 70 percent.
He received the West Tennessee Coach of the Year in 1972 and District Coach of the Year five times. His teams won 14 district titles and had 18 20-win seasons. His Obion County Central Girls’ basketball teams won seven consecutive district championships and won 19 consecutive district tournament games. He was inducted into the Carroll County Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
Coach Hatch is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Mary Elaine and Darrell Christian of Naples, Fla.; a son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Lisa Hatch of Jackson; a life companion of over 35 years, Joyce Taylor Wesner; three grandsons and their wives, Trey and Carolina Cleek, Matt and Lauren Cleek and Chris and Ashton Hatch; two granddaughters, Mary Claire Hatch, and Catie Beth Hatch; three great-grandchildren, Miles Cleek, Miller Cleek and Addison Hatch; and his sister, Sylvia Dill of Huntingdon.
He was also preceded in death by a sister, Lela Mae Robertson; and a brother, Calvin Hatch.
Condolences may be sent to the family at the funeral home website: www.white-ranson.com.
Published 10.26.17