Harley William “Bill” Hatch was born on February 20, 1924, in Eldorado, Jackson County, Oklahoma. He was the son of Franklin Alpheus Hatch and Theresa Wood Hatch. He was married to Zelda Mae Welch Hatch. He graduated from Wellington High School in 1941. After graduation, he spent a year in Washington, D.C., working for his uncle, Senator Carl Hatch, before returning to Texas to attend Texas Tech University. At age 19, he was drafted into the Army. He served in the United States Army with the 740th Tank Battalion in World War II. Known as the “Daredevil Tankers”, the 740th was a separate battalion that fought from Utah Beach all the way to the Baltic Sea in support of various divisions of the US war effort.

After his discharge, Bill returned home and purchased a one-third interest in Hatch Dry Goods, eventually buying out his father upon his retirement. After 50 years in business, Bill sold the store to care for Zelda. He later worked for Community Bank, which became Pilgrim Bank, for 17 years. Bill was active in his community, serving on the High Plains Baptist Hospital Advisory Board and as Collingsworth County’s representative to the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission, both in Amarillo. He also served on the Collingsworth County Draft Board.

He served three terms as Mayor of Wellington, two terms as president of the Chamber of Commerce, chaired numerous church committees at First Methodist Church, and served as Cubmaster during his sons’ youth. He was honored multiple times as Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year. Bill was also a charter member of the local Glynn Moore VFW Post 6439. He died on January 1, 2024, and is now buried in the Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Wellington, Collingsworth County, Texas, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com