Ila Hatch

Our loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Ila Amber Southam Hatch, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Dec 21, 2013 at the age of ninety-three. She was born on March 1, 1920 in Vernal, Utah to George and Florence (Flossie) Southam. She was the third of seven children. She lived in Vernal her entire life, and was one of the few girls to be able to attend and finish high school. She graduated from Uintah High School in 1938. She worked with her grandmother, who was a midwife, and also assisted various relatives with other jobs until she met the love of her life, Abert R. Hatch. They were married on June 24, 1940 and were later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on October 8, 1964. In the course of that time, they were blessed with four wonderful sons. She was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She held many callings in the church, including serving in the Relief Society presidency as a counselor and then as president for twelve consecutive years. She enjoyed many hobbies over the course of her life. She loved to sew, crochet, tie quilts, paint and grow beautiful flowers, among other things. She used her talents to make gifts for her family. She was a wonderful cook, and no family get-together was complete without her noodles and pies. Grandma was an adventurous lady. She went on vacation with her family every year, traveling to places shed never seen and staying in a tent! She loved being with them. Her home was where her family gathered most often and has been a haven to a multitude of people who needed a place to live for a while. It has been such a blessing to her family. She invited her grandkids over for sleepovers every week, and occasionally went for a sleepover herself at her sisters house. She was well known to most of the valley, and could tell you to which family almost anyone belonged. She always had an amazing memory of people and was called Grandma or Aunt by many--some of which were no relation. She was young at heart, and could outwork most everyone. Her kindness, love and acceptance was a paramount example in each of our lives. She accepted and loved us for who we were. She saw the good in everyone and wanted nothing more in life than to be with her family. She was an exquisite woman, full of joy and laughter and will always be a treasure to us. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers and two sisters. She is survived by her four sons, Philip R. Hatch (Nada), Dennis Leon Hatch, Gary G. Hatch (Gale), Dwayne J. Hatch (Sheridan), her brother Junius Southam (Barbara), her sister Viola Broome (Richard), her sister-in-law Carol Southam, sixteen grandchildren (and their spouses), twenty-eight great grandchildren (and their spouses), and six great-great grandchildren. You are invited to join us in celebration of her life on Saturday, December 28, 2013 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. at the Glines Ward Chapel on Highway 40. A viewing will be held on Friday evening from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the same location. Services have been entrusted to the care of Blackburn Vernal Mortuary.