Dolores LaRay Putnam Hatcher Obituary (1929

Dolores La Ray Putnam Hatcher was born on July 6th, 1929 in Los Angeles, California the second child of Artimus and Thelma Putnam. Right after her birth, their family moved to Bountiful Utah, where Dolores spent her adolescence. Dolores went to Davis High School and her first real job was at the Bountiful Drug Store, where she loved making Lime Rickys and Milkshakes especially for all her friends. Dolores had a group of five girlfriends she ran around with and through the years they remained friends. There is only one of them left now, but she and Dolores have been corresponding over the years. In 1946 Dolores graduated from Davis High School in Bountiful, Utah, and shortly thereafter fell in love with (Howard) Curtis L. Hatcher, a young seaman in the Navy. They were married on January 30th 1948, and honeymooned to Central California where they lived for sixty-five years. While in California, Dolores was blessed with two daughters, whom she delighted in, Karolee and Claudia. In 1964 life changed for the Hatchers; Howard was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While he had been hesitant to join for many years, once converted he was 100% truly converted. The weekly Sunday trip to the Grandparent’s home became less frequent as Dolores and Howard carried out their responsibilities in the Church. On November 12th, 1965, she and her husband had their family sealed in the St George temple for time and all eternity. Howard served as Bishop twice, and Dolores was the perfect Bishop’s wife. She was compassionate, long suffering, supportive, kind and truly the Mother of the Ward. Members of the Ward often stopped by their home to seek advice from Dolores. And Dolores figured if you were enjoying a good meal, you would feel better, so food was always served. Dolores served as Ward and Stake YMMIA President, Ward Relief Society President, and endless years as a Visiting Teaching Coordinator and/or Supervisor. She had a strong testimony of Visiting Teaching and enthusiastically supported the work. Dolores was an incredible cook and turned that interest and talent into a 31-year career for herself as the Manager of Norris School District Cafeterias. After retirement, she and her husband enjoyed working as temple ordinance workers in the Los Angeles, CA temple. They served from Tuesday morning until Saturday evening, the last week of each month, for twelve years. Dolores’s love of the Temple was so evident every time she began talking about the Temple. She and Howard were often speakers at Firesides, Sacrament meetings, and Temple Preparation Classes. That enthusiasm she displayed has been a great legacy to her family. All her family loves being in the Temple because of Dolores’s special witness of the divinity of the House of the Lord. To Dolores, love was an action word. As a grandmother, Dolores became known as “Nano.” A favorite nickname used by not only her family but people in the Ward and friends. She showed her love to her Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren with service, and compassion. Often times this would include a trip to one of her favorite places--the beach in the motorhome. The entire family has special memories of the sand dunes and walks on the beach with Nano. Before her arthritis forbid it, she was an excellent artist who could paint landscapes, and nature very well. She had a natural talent and a unique way with colors. With her flair for fashion, and eye for a bargain, Dolores loved to shop and was always a very chic woman. An afternoon shopping with Nano wasn’t the favorite past time for her grandsons, but the granddaughters were thrilled to go on a shopping adventure. Dolores spent her last few years of life in Provo Utah, where she loved the snowy winters. When it would snow, Dolores would go out on her balcony and try to catch snowflakes in her mouth. After her husband’s passing, in August of 2013, Dolores spent her days enjoying her local family, and after several months of heart complications and two strokes, Dolores Hatcher was reunited with her eternal companion on Saturday, February 21, 2015. She was proceeded in death by her mother, Thelma Putnam; sister, Margaret, brother, James; son-in-law, Larry Cook; and her eternal companion, Curtis L. Hatcher. She is survived by her two daughters Karolee (Randall) Mehew, Claudia( Larry, deceased) Cook, her sister, Bonnie (Frank) DePoalo, and thirteen grandchildren and twenty-three great grandchildren. Services will be held Friday February 27, 2015 at 2445 North 650 East (LDS Rock Canyon Chapel) Provo, with a viewing from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., service at 12:00 p.m. and interment at Camp Williams Memorial Park with the love of her life, Howard Hatcher.