Nellie Pearl Smith Hatch

Nellie Pearl Smith Hatch 5/2/20 ~ 5/19/07 On May 19, 2007, with her children holding both hands, Nellie Pearl Smith Hatch's fierce, intelligent, and beautiful spirit soared to reunite with her beloved Glen and take over the dinner parties and volunteer guilds On High. Nellie was born May 2, 1920 to Ellen Cook (Scott). Her devoted father, Gerald Smith, joined their little family shortly thereafter. On May 26, 1938, at the age of 17, Nellie eloped to Preston, Idaho with 19-year-old Glen Mansfield Hatch, and thus began an inspiring, loving, and fulfilling 45-year marriage. Through World War II and the Korean Conflict, Nellie served brilliantly as an officer's wife while Glen taught at Officer's Training School in Oklahoma; and when Glen was in Korea, she worked as the freight clerk at Fort Polk, Louisiana, in charge of all freight that went through Fort Polk. After World War II, she graduated with honors from the University of Utah in Political Science, taught briefly at Lincoln Junior High, and then worked at Glen's fledgling law firm. Although she gave up full-time paid work after Glen's law practice became successful, she seldom put in less than an eight-hour day at her many volunteer jobs -- the Democratic Wasatch Women's Caucus, the Red Cross, the Utah Symphony Guild (her tenure as President was her finest hour), the Assistance League, as a guide at the Church Office Building, and many others. She was also the perfect hostess and wife behind the Utah political scene, as Glen served as a Wasatch and Summit County State Senator, Chief of Staff to Governor Rampton, and ran for U.S. Congress. Nellie was also the Monument Park 1st and 2nd Ward Organist for many years. After 15 years of marriage, Nellie gave birth to a son, Glen Gerald, and a daughter, Virginia Ellen, 19 months later. Nellie was a fierce, devoted, supportive, and loving mother. As a grandmother to six grandchildren, she was along on every trip to McDonald's and Disneyland, and college trips to New England, Virginia, and Florida. She helped pay for everything from nursery school to braces, and the Mother's Day weekends at The Snowed Inn with Ginny and Emily will always be remembered. When Glen died while vacationing in Hawaii over their 45th wedding anniversary, Nellie was devastated, but picked herself up and began touring Europe, Africa, and the United States, from Yugoslavia and Egypt to Hilton Head Island. She also continued to give her famous dinner parties. Governors, senators, millionaires, friends, and neighbors have all enjoyed her expertly cooked prime rib. While her brilliance was greatly diminished by dementia in her final years, she was doing crossword puzzles two weeks before her death, and singing "You're a Grand Old Flag" with the staff at Brighton Gardens on the day she died. Unbounded thanks go to her caregivers, particularly her son, Jerry, who played countless hours of scrabble and worked endless crossword puzzles with her during her final years, and the staff at Brighton Gardens, who cared for her lovingly for the past two years. Nellie is survived by her son, Glen Gerald Hatch (Diane Robinson), her daughter Virginia Ellen (Mike) Echevarria, and five grandchildren, Emily (Roy) Burns, D.J. (Jen) Black, Brooks Black, Spencer Black, and William Black. She was preceded in death by her husband and best friend, Glen Mansfield Hatch, her parents, Ellen and Gerald Smith, and her granddaughter, Alice Anne Black. Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 24th at 11:00 a.m. at Larkin Sunset Lawn Mortuary 2350 East 1300 South, Salt Lake City, UT. Friends and family may call an hour before the service. Congratulations on a life beautifully lived, Mamacita. Love, Pooh.