Richard “Chip” Hatch, former resident of Grangeville, Idaho, passed away Saturday, Feb.18, 2017, at Jamie’s Place in Winthrop. He was one-and-a-half days from his 90th birthday. Chip led a very long and adventurous life and will be missed by many.
He was born Feb. 20, 1927, in Riverton, Wyoming. He moved to Grangeville, Idaho, in 1941 with parents Lester and Helen Hatch, where his father operated a saddle/shoe shop. Chip joined the U.S. Marines in 1944 and was honorably discharged in 1946 after being wounded in the battle at Okinawa. His rank was corporal and his special military qualification was rifleman/marksman. He received the Purple Heart and citation for having saved a fellow soldier while wounded himself.
Upon returning from the service, he worked as a pressman and foreman for The Idaho County Free Press for over 25 years. He was never one to have only one job at a time, so he also drove the school bus for several years and then worked at Wickes/Idapine Mills part time. After retiring from the printing industry, he worked full-time at the mill for another 25 years. After the passing of his wife, Shirley Hatch, in 1996, he moved to Twisp to be near his children and began a 20-year career working in his son Hank’s grocery store, Hank’s Harvest Foods, in the produce department. He worked there until he was 85. He met and enjoyed several years with partner Sharon Dry and her children, Kevin, Kimon and Marcus.
Chip joined the U.S. Marines in 1944.
He enjoyed a variety of hobbies including race car driving, hunting, fishing, cutting wood and traveling. When he moved to Twisp, he built his dream house on the mountain. He planned and was involved from design to completion. He took various trips with friends and family. He went to Hawaii with the family, took an Alaska cruise with longtime Idaho friends and his granddaughter Carlan. He and Sharon Dry took winter trips to sunny Arizona, visiting with relatives and family also in Arizona, and enjoyed going to Mexico. His most amazing trip was the African safari he went on with his son Hank and daughter-in-law Judy. He was amazed with the beauty of the land and the people, and got to see so many exotic animals in the wild.
He was preceded in death by his parents Lester and Helen Hatch of Boise, Idaho; sister Mary Jean Hochstrasser of Roseville, California; wife Shirley Hatch of Grangeville, Idaho; son Steve Konrad of Twisp; daughter Vicki Stiner-Hatch of Wenatchee; and partner Sharon Dry of Twisp. He is survived by son Hank Konrad (wife Judy) of Twisp; daughter Pam Nevi (husband Ron) of Renton, Washington; sisters Vivian Wren of Lewiston, Idaho, and Frances Brown (husband Darrell) of Arizona; brothers Lester “Butch” Hatch (wife Cheryl) of Arizona, and Ted Hatch (wife Kay) of Texas. He leaves 10 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren
The family would like to thank the staff at Jamie’s Place for taking such loving care of Chip the past four years. The family will be planning a celebration of life tentatively scheduled for June 24 to remember and celebrate Chip’s long and rewarding life. Contact Pam Nevi at thenevis@comcast.net for more information.
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