Marie Hatch Kukuk

Marie Hatch Kukuk, a long time resident of Austin and El Paso, passed away Saturday, June 9, 2007 at the Austin Hospice Christopher House after a long battle with leukemia. Born in Norman, Oklahoma on September 3, 1922, she was 84 years old. Marie earned a BS in 1945 and MS in 1946 in organic chemistry at the University of Virginia. Although women were rare in the field of chemistry at the time, she was valedictorian of her graduating class. Her respect for learning and education led her to a distinguished career in teaching at both the high school and college levels. She taught chemistry for one year at Austin High School, eight years at McCallum High School, both in Austin, eight years at Austin High School in El Paso, eight years at King Faisal University Medical School for Women in Saudi Arabia, and one year at Parkland High School in El Paso after returning from Saudi Arabia. She was loved and respected by her students, affecting many lives positively. She is survived by her husband of eleven years, Duane Kukuk, with whom she traveled to many exotic places in South America and Africa and loved and enjoyed in her retirement years. She was previously married to Dr. Philips S. Bailey and, subsequently, for 33 years to Dr. Lewis F. Hatch until his death in 1991. She and Lewis (a chemistry professor at UT Austin and Dean of Science and Vice-President for Academic Affairs at University of Texas at El Paso) traveled over much of the world while they lived and taught chemistry in Saudi Arabia, Germany and Egypt. She led a full and happy life instilling in her kids the love of travel, learning, and positive values. Marie is also survived by her three children: Dr. Philip S. Bailey, Jr. of San Luis Obispo, California, Dr. Thomas F. Bailey of Lake Jackson, Texas, and Evalee Taylor of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has two sisters, Evalee Homan of Corpus Christi and Ruth Stanley of West Chester, Pennsylvania, and one brother, Bennie Shultz (recently deceased) of Huntsville, Alabama. In addition, she has 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren (with two more on the way). Marie found great pleasure in her wonderful family for whom she was a loving and special role model. Marie has requested that her family and friends donate blood to the Travis County Blood Bank in appreciation for the special gifts of blood she received during her illness. Memorial monetary donations can be made to the Austin Hospice Christopher House, 2820 E. MLK Blvd., Austin, Texas, 78702. A memorial celebration of life will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at Wilke-Clay-Fish Chapel. Reception will follow. Memorials and guestbook online at wcfish.com