FUNERAL HELD FOR LOCAL RANCHER, MISSING EARLIER

Funeral services were held in Vernal Wednesday at 10 p.m. for Alva Leroy Hatch, 78. Willow Creek rancher, whose body was found one mile west of Farmington, New Mexico Wednesday of last week.

Mr. Hatch had been missing since October, 1959. He had died of natural causes.

He had boarded a bus at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at Los Angeles to visit his daughter, Mrs. Rodney Horrocks at Durango, Colorado. While in California he had been staying with another daughter, Mrs. Mabry H. Goad, Long Beach.

When he did not arrive at his distination, police were contacted and an investigation begun.

Family members said that Mr. Hatch liked to roam around and prospect. There were relatives in the area, they said that perhaps Mr. Hatch was planning on visiting when presumably he had a heart attack. In view of the fact that Mr. Hatch still had personal papers and about $20 dollars in cash when he was found, foul play was ruled out. An autopsy was held to determine the cause of death.

Mr. Hatch was born in Vernal July 25, 1881, a son of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Winn Hatch. He married Martha Edmunds Aug. 24, 1905 at Grand Junction, Colorado. She died Jan. 5, 1923.

The funeral was held in Vernal 3rd Ward chapel under the direction of Bishop Samuel B. Woolley. Burial was in the family cemetery at the Hatch ranch at Willow Creek, about 50 miles soutwest of Vernal.

Survivors include two sons and five daughters, Alva Leroy Hatch Jr., Rawlins, Wyoming; Jerry M. Hatch, Blanding; Mrs. Owen E. (Martha) Jones, Sunset; Mrs. George (Alice) Powers, Othello, Washington; Mrs. Mabry H. (Pamela) Goad, Long Beach, California; Mrs. Todney (Phoebe) Horrocks, Durango, Colorado and Mrs. Dallas (Mildred) Massey, Price; two brothers and three sisters, Abraham and Golda Hatch, both of Ouray; Mrs. Perry (Rowena) Johnson and Mrs. Pearl Clark, both of Vernal and Mrs. Lacy Hamilton, Duchesne; 31 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Vernal Express
February 11, 1960
transcribed by Rhonda Holton
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Relatives: Hatch, Elizabeth Christina Winn (Mother)
Hatch, Jeremiah (Father)
Edmunds, Martha May (Spouse)