Nolan Hatcher

Published 12:00 am Sunday, May 17, 2009

Dr. Nolan Creamer Hatcher age 91 of Troy died Tuesday, May 12, 2009 at the Troy Regional Medical Center.
Memorial Services will be held Monday, May 18, 2009 at 4:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church in Troy.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the Church.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years Willetta Marion Hatcher, 2 daughters and sons-in-law Virginia (Jennie) Hatcher Pilato and her husband Lou Pilato, Donna Louise Hatcher and her husband Roger Shultz, grandchildren Karl Pilato and his fiancée Yvonne Wu, and Graham Hatcher Pilato, special friend Olaf Lieb and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a son Nolan (Lanny) C. Hatcher II.
The Troy Rotary Club and Wesley McCarthy Sunday School Class at First Methodist will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Memorial may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Troy or the Troy University Foundation.
Dr. Hatcher was born January 24, 1918 in Texarkana, Texas. He received his Doctor of Education (Counseling Psychology) from Auburn University in 1970, after studying at many places including the University of Oklahoma, Abilene Christian University, and the USAF Air University; he later studied at both Harvard and Oxford Universities.
In 1936 he enlisted in the Arkansas National Guard and later in 1941 he joined the Army Air Corps where he became a pilot and served his country in WWII, before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Air Force in 1967. He served the United States in many capacities.
In 1969 he became Assistant Professor of Education at Auburn University. In 1974 he joined the staff of Troy University where he served in a number of roles, including as the Dean of College of Special Programs, and Assistant Professor of Education and Director of International Studies, teaching in the US, Europe and the Far East. On October 20, 1989 he retired from Troy State University and was named Professor Emeritus.
Among his many hobbies were watching and investing in the stock market, watching sports of all kinds, and listening to classical music. His greatest life long interest was world travel. During his military career and while at Troy University he was able, with his wife Willetta, to travel the world and see many amazing sights.