Marciel Jeanette Hatch

Marciel “Jeanette” Hatch was born on June 12, 1940 at the 25-bed Charleton Hospital in Tillamook, Oregon. During her life she was devoted to being and was beloved as a wife, a mother, a sister, a grandmother, an aunt, and a friend to many. She passed peacefully with her son at her side in Tigard, Oregon, on April 4, 2020.

“Babe,” as she was known to her father, Clarence Frank Smith, was the youngest of four daughters to her mother, Ida Ella Wyman. She grew up on her family’s farm in Tillamook near the end of Sollie Smith Road, along the banks of the Wilson River. While her father Clarence worked as a cheese maker and her mother Ida kept the family home, Jeanette could often be found babysitting or tutoring younger children who grew up on nearby farms. She graduated from Tillamook High School with the class of 1958. She married James Shelley “Jim” Hatch on March 28, 1959 at the First Christian Church of Tillamook. This union came only after her father had first taught Jim how to fish. Over the coming years, many weekends would be spent back at the farm on Sollie Smith Road. Jim would fish on the Wilson with Clarence, while Jeanette and Ida would keep track of the score back up the hill at the house, prepare the weekend meals and critique the fishermen’s efforts.

Eventually, the couple moved to Portland, where Jeanette took a position as a clerk at Budget Finance, a consumer lending company, while Jim went to work as an accountant at Pendleton Woolen Mills. Well-steeped in a thorough understanding of their dollars and sense, together the two eventually decided to get into the commercial maintenance business. They both liked to joke that “pushing a broom” for a living was good, honest work, and apparently it was. At the peak of their growth, the combined businesses served the majority of U.S. Bank, Benjamin Franklin, and First Interstate Bank branches in the Portland metro area, along with many in the more distant reaches of the state. In later years, numerous UPS and FedEx facilities were also added as clients.

In the spring of 1964, the couple bought their first, and only, home in Tigard. There Jeanette gave birth to, and raised, their only child, Kevin. She dearly loved taking care of her husband and son, classmates, friends, and neighbors. Over the years she spent countless hours supporting her son’s involvement with the Tigard Aquatic Club—timing, organizing and working swim meets, running concession stands, and traveling to swim meets, water polo practices and weekend clinics. She loved to bowl and enjoyed getting those around her riled up while watching sports—whether it be the Ducks, the Beavers, the Blazers, Stanford, or Tigard High School. Like most of her life, the details were less important to her than your happiness. If you had a dog in the fight, you could count on Jeanette to be there at your side cheering her support. She will be deeply missed by so very many who called her their friend.

She is survived by her sister Ida “Vivian” Twyman; son Kevin S. Hatch; daughter-in-law Joan K. Takenaka; and her beloved grandchildren Makena Racquel, Cassidy Ann and Kenneth “James” Hatch. Jeanette was preceded in death by both of her parents, Ida and Clarence Smith, by her husband Jim Hatch, and her sisters Doris Zinzer and Vera Groat.

There will eventually be a celebration of her life; however, the current conditions related to the COVID-19 crisis make it impossible to plan at this time. Please check back periodically for further details.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a charitable contribution to the Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp in Jeanette's memory:

Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp

10725 SW Barbur Blvd - Suite 50

Portland, OR 97219

503-452-7416

A direct link is listed below.