Kathleen Hatton

Kathleen Hatton, of Imbler, died Friday, March 25th in La Grande at the age of 75.

A service celebrating her life and the lives of her mother, Marjorie Woodell Jarvis and her sister-in-law, Joan Kendall Jarvis, will begin Sunday, September 4th at 3 p.m. at The Barn at Tamarack Springs Ranch, near Summerville.

Born Kathleen Jarvis on April 4, 1946 in Omaha, Nebraska, she was the daughter of Joseph Wear and Marjorie Lola (Woodell) Jarvis.  Known as Kathy, she was raised and educated in Nebraska but spent her summers in Summerville, which she always considered home.  As soon as she graduated from high school in 1964 she moved here and earned a bachelors degree in education from Eastern Oregon College (now EOU).  She taught two years of high school English in Dayville until having a dispute with the superintendent over whether student or athlete should come first in education.

After leaving the school system she worked for the Boise Cascade Particle board plant where she met John Hatton.  They were married on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 1975.  Though it was the 29th that year, they always celebrated their anniversary on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, regardless of the date.  The day after their wedding a blizzard hit and all of their guests from out of the area were stranded in Summerville.

Kathy later became a clerk for J.C. Penneys in La Grande where she worked until her retirement in 2002.

Kathy was an active member of Rainbow for Girls in Omaha and joined the Blue Mountain Chapter, Order of Eastern Star in Elgin as soon as she was old enough.  She also belonged to the Jewell Rebekah Lodge of Summerville.  She was always doing handiwork: knitting dish cloths, baby blankets as well as quilting and crocheting afghans.  She headed up the annual Eastern Star yard sale which grew from hundreds to thousands of dollars of funds raised each year for Blue Mtn. Chapter.  Kathy was the recipient of the Volunteer of the Year award.

Surviving relatives include her husband John Hatton of Imbler; a son, Christopher Hatton of Singapore; grandchildren, Ashley Johnson and Olivia Hatton; a brother, Joseph Woodell and Joni Jarvis of Cove and other relatives and friends.

Her parents Joseph and Marjorie Jarvis died earlier.

Contributions in memory of Kathleen Hatton may be made to the Alzheimers Association, 1650 NW Naito Parkway, Portland, OR  97209 or the Shriners Hospital for children, 3101 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR  97239.

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