Craig Hatfield

1935 - 2025

Craig Hatfield

1935-2025

Craig Bond Hatfield, 90, passed away on February 23, 2025, in his home at Silver Maples, Chelsea, Michigan. Craig was born on January 24, 1935, in Greenfield, Indiana, to Laura (Bond) and Claude Hatfield. He attended schools in Indianapolis, Baltimore, and Chicago, before graduating from Elston High School, Michigan City, in 1953. He continued his education at Indiana University, where he earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in geology and he met Nancy Clark, whom he married in 1962. Together, they raised three children, of whom he was very proud, in a home that was always open to neighboring kids.

In 1964, Craig joined the geology faculty at the University of Toledo, where he remained until his retirement in 1999. In 1972 he won the University's Outstanding Teacher Award, and he took great joy in the successes of his former undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Hatfield published early and influential warnings about global oil shortages, and he later developed a deep concern over climate change and the need to shift to renewable energy. More importantly, he was known for terrible jokes, loving science fiction and horror books and movies, walking everywhere – including 1.8 miles to and from work every day for 35 years, taking his kids and their friends to get comic books at Kenwood Pharmacy in his 1952 "fire engine red" MG TD, playing along with Jeopardy every night, and having an insatiable sweet tooth. The last thing he ate was his favorite candy, circus peanuts. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Nancy Hatfield; their three children, April Hatfield (Jonathan Maxwell), Adrian Hatfield (Izabela), and Andrew Hatfield (Rosalie); and three grandchildren, Coleman, Ella, and Alexandria.

The family is planning a celebration of life later this spring in Toledo.