Adele "Dell" Hatcher

Adele "Dell" Dorothy Schweers Hatcher, 85, of Dunnellon, died on August 20, 2011, at The Legacy House in Ocala, FL.
She was born in Brooklyn, NY, June 24, 1926, to Fredrick Schweers and Theresa Hoffman Schweers. At age 16, she quit school in her senior year and moved to San Francisco, CA, to work in the shipyards there as part of the war effort. There she met Joseph "Jake" William Hatcher, who was a sailor stationed there, and they married in October of 1945. At war's end, they moved to Red Level, to live in the Hatcher family home. She fell in love with the Southern way of life and became a true Southern Lady, and quickly became an excellent Southern cook.
When Jake was disabled in 1959, she became his "nurse" for many months and then became the breadwinner for her family. While working, she attend night school and got her GED. She became a Citrus County school bus driver and worked in the lunchroom at the Dunnellon school. While driving the bus she was offered a chance to drive students to the Vo-tech school in Inverness, where she also attended class and graduated from the Secretarial program. She became a secretary for Citrus County Health Department, and then Citrus County Schools Transportation Department until retirement.
She and her husband, Jake, were active supporters of the Dunnellon High School Athletic Department and made many, many trips transporting athletes to events, which led to their selection for the 1969 award, "Parents of the Year." She was active for decades in the First United Methodist Church of Dunnellon. Her beautiful singing voice was enjoyed as part of the special events. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for many, many years.
She is survived by her husband, Jake Hatcher, of Dunnellon, Citrus County; two daughters, Lorelle Hatcher Blackwell, South Carolina, and Rebecca Nancy Hatcher-Folk, Ft. McCoy, FL: three grandchildren, Owen, Andy and Kelly Hatcher; and 3 great-grandchildren, Emma, Margret, and Madeleine, all of Dunnellon; and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased in death by a son in 2002, Jeffrey Dillon Hatcher. Only one of her 10 siblings survives, Warren Schweers, of CA.
Memorial services will be held at Thursday, on August 25, at 3 p.m. at The First United Methodist Church. Graveside service will be at Red Level Cemetery at 6 p.m.
Memorial donations can be made to Hospice of Marion County, P.O. Box 4860, Ocala, FL 34478.
Arrangements by Roberts Funeral Home 19939 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Dunnellon, FL 34432. Condolences may be left at RobertsofDunnellon.com.
May the circle be unbroken.