Obituary of Thomas "Thom" Raymond Hatch

Beloved husband and father, Thomas "Thom" Raymond Hatch, went peacefully to be with the Lord on July 29, 2021, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Thom was born July 28, 1946 in Erie, Pennsylvania to Elizabeth Anna Van (Arnam) Hatch and Wilfred Raymond Hatch. The family moved to Grand Island, New York where Thom spent most of his childhood, and at the age of 10, he knew he wanted to be an author. In his senior year of high school, the Hatch family moved to North Olmsted, Ohio. Shortly before finishing high school, Thom enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at the age of 17. He also received a call from a minor league baseball scout but declined the offer due to his commitment to the Marines. After graduation, he sought adventure and hiked the 132-mile Northville-Lake Placid Trail in the Adirondack Mountains end to end in a few days. Thom reported to boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina. His first order of duty was to quell an uprising in the Dominican Republic. In 1966, Thom received orders to fight communism with an all-expense paid trip to South Vietnam. He was in combat near the coal mines in An Hoa with Company E, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division. Some of his brother Marines became lifelong friends. After being honorably discharged, Thom worked at the Erie Times News as a music columnist and at a local radio station as a disc jockey. He moved to Memphis, Tennessee and worked as a "sharp guy" in business while perfecting the craft of writing. In 1975, Thom moved to Colorado Springs and ran his highly successful advertising agency until achieving his lifelong dream of becoming a published author. As an author and historian, he contributed articles to prestigious publications and released thirteen books through distinguished publishing houses. He was the recipient of the 2005 Spur Award for Best Western Biography, "Black Kettle", from the Western Writers of America. While Thom worked on his books, he also found time to contribute to rural education as a substitute teacher. He enjoyed identifying the many species of birds and wildlife on the prairie with his border collie, Emily.He is survived by his wife of thirty-two years, Lynn; and his loving daughter, Cimarron Paige Hatch; and his sons from a previous marriage, Robert and Timothy; and his brother, David (Pat) Hatch. Thom will be laid to rest at 1:00PM, Thursday, August 26, 2021, at Pikes Peak National Cemetery, 10545 Drennan Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80925. A Celebration of Life will follow at 2:30PM at Ellicott Open Door Community Church, 2055 North Log Road, Calhan, Colorado 80808. All are welcome. Events Graveside Thursday, August 26, 2021 1:00PM Pikes Peak National Cemetery 10545 Drennan Road Colorado Springs, CO 80925 Phone: 202-632-8035 Celebration of Life Thursday, August 26, 2021 2:30PM Ellicott Open Door Community Church 2055 North Log Road Calhan, CO 80808