Willard W Hatch

February 11, 1933 - December 1, 2021

Willard passed away peacefully at his home in Phoenix Arizona, surrounded by his wife and daughters in the early morning hours of December 1, 2021.

Willard was a third generation Los Angeles native. His grandmother Stella Schmidt was the daughter of one of the early settlers in Los Angeles. The family built the original Los Angeles Hotel in downtown LA.

Willard attended Van Nuys High School and then enlisted in the Air Force during the Korean War. He spent four very cold years at the Air Force base in Osceola, Wisconsin. Upon returning home, he enrolled in West Valley College, where he received his AA. He also attended the University of Iowa, the George Meany Program at Antioch University, where he received his BA, a Harvard University program, and finally the London School of Economics where he received his Master’s degree.

During his career in journalism, he held various positions in different news organizations including: as a copy editor in New Mexico, New York Journal of Commerce, Erie Morning News and then as a reporter at the Las Vegas Sun, Ontario Daily Report. Willard interviewed California’s 33rd Governor Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole, civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, had dinner with Jimmy Carter, met Bill Clinton at a California Nurses Association event, as well as interviewing Robert Kennedy just before he was shot at the Ambassador Hotel.

Willard’s career took a turn when he found he loved negotiating and mediation. He committed himself to improving the lives of workers throughout the country. He negotiated many Newspaper contracts throughout the Midwest with the International Newspaper Guild and the Detroit Chapter of the Newspaper Guild. He later became a negotiator for the California Nurses Association. During his years in San Jose he was an Instructor at the City University of Washington in a variety of subjects. After his retirement from the Nurses Association, he provided Mediation and Arbitration Services.

Early in his career he met lovely English lass, Christine. They married and raised four daughters. They moved many times during their 59 years together, but he promised Christine when he retired she could pick the city and they would stay put. They have lived in Cave Creek for 24 years. In his retirement, he and Christine traveled the world reaching every continent, as well as all 50 of the United States.

Although Willard did not attend USC, he was an ardent USC football fan, since the age of 5 when his Uncle Bill would take him to the games. He had season tickets for years and never missed a game. A USC game was the last football game he watched while on this Earth.

He had friends across the country and many friends in the United Kingdom.

He was a devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, and a proud Democrat.

He is predeceased by his parents, Wendell W. Hatch, Thelma Baldanza Berglund and his sisters Linda Huey and Thelma Connie Baker.

He is survived by his brother Stephen Hatch, sisters Ellen Berglund and Jean Berglund, wife Christine Hatch, daughters Lesley Smoltz, Karen Mann, Hazel Wolfe, Robyn Boelter, Susan Hatch-Maroko, many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Although we are heartbroken upon his passing, his legacy of a love of knowledge, truth, service to others, hard work and love, will continue to inspire us for generations.

A visitation for WILLARD will be held Thursday, December 9, 2021 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 East Greenway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85022. A celebration of life will occur Thursday, December 9, 2021 from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, 2350 E Greenway Rd, Phoenix, Arizona 85022. A committal service with military honors will occur Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 1:30 PM at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix, Arizona 85024.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ShadowMountainMortuary.com for the HATCH family.