Lucille Leger Hatch

May 13, 1917 ~ September 15, 2014 Lucille Leger Hatch, age 97, passed away September 15, 2014 in Vernal. She was born May 13, 1917 to Charles Alan and Alice Erlindson in Slater, Colorado. She was delivered by a midwife named Eva. Lucille had two sisters Lois 7 years old and Gladys 3 years old; 2 brothers Alan and Vernon. Vernon who died with a ruptured appendix and left behind a young family. We lived just across the road from the school house. The teacher boarded at our house. After she graduated from high school in 1935, Lucille did numerous odd jobs and the in 1939, started nursing correspondence classes from home and the teacher lived with them corrected my work. To obtain a nursing degree, she had to attend one year of college so attended the Kansas State Agricultural College in Manhattan, Kansas and graduated in 1943. Now ready for her career in nursing, her sister said I could get a job until I weighted 100 lbs. Shortly after graduating, my sister Lois and family who lived in Vernal, Utah needed help to care for her and newborn so she came to help her. So that is how she ended up in Vernal. She did not plan on staying very long but here she is. A Vernal Police officer, Sam Hatch and his wife were hunting on Diamond Mountain when she was shot in the abdomen by a ricocheting bullet. Lucille was hired as a specialist nurse to care for her. She died in less than a week. They had 3 children: Ron 7, Venita 6, Janet 3. Lucille dated Sam for a short time and they got married September 29, 1944 in vernal at his sister's Tess Siddoway's house. Sam died July 12, 1999. She worked at the Hospital as a surgical Nurse. Wore the white uniform and stiffly starched cap with pride. Later she worked as a nurse at a vernal Medical clinic with Dr. Seager and Dr. Spendlove. When they retired so did Lucille. She didn't drive much so Sam always picked her up to and from to work or she would walk. Her parents sold the Homestead in Colorado and went to Arkansas and then settled back in vernal. They stayed with them a couple of months until they got their own house. During their spare time, they would enjoy fishing especially ice fishing. They loved hunting, looking for arrow heard, and going for mountains rides. Lucille also liked embroidery and care for garden and flowers. She did a lot of canning. She enjoyed making choke cherry syrup and jelly. She enjoyed family gatherings and feeding her bird visitors. Lucille was a member of the Kingsbury Church and Ladies Auxiliary of Police Officers and served a term as president. She has attended an explorers Bible study class for over 15 years. And enjoyed going on a Caribbean Cruise and river rafting. At the age of 97 she relied on her friends and family to take her shopping and for rides around town. Graveside services will be conducted on Friday, September 19, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at the Vernal Memorial Park. Friends and family may meet at the Cemetery. Burial will be in the Vernal Memorial Park, services have been entrusted to the care of Blackburn Vernal Mortuary. www.blackburnvernalmortuary.com