Hatch, Barbara Edith
September 30, 1929 - July 31, 2017

Barbara Hatch, 87, previously of Colts Neck, NJ, died peacefully on Monday, July 31, 2017, in Fort Collins, CO.

Born in 1929, Barbara grew up in West Orange, NJ with her parents, James and Nora Rogie, and her aunt, Edith Logie. In high school, she enjoyed theatre, singing, dance, piano, violin, reporting for a local paper, and all things French. During the summer of 1946, she studied singing at Juliard.

At Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, Barbara majored in Zoology while living in the French house. After graduating in 1951, she traveled with her parents to Scotland and France on the Queen Elizabeth, returning home six weeks later on the Queen Mary. She worked as a junior pharmacologist at Ciba Pharmaceutical in Summit. Barbara married Richard W. Hatch in 1955. While raising their four children (and three Great Danes), Barbara enjoyed: gardening and cooking, sewing and needlework, photography, sailing, hiking, and family camping trips, including a trip to the West Coast in 1972. She performed on stage in local musical productions and as a featured soloist in area churches. She volunteered with the Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Colts Neck First Aid Squad, and the AAUW (American Association of University Women). Before his death in 2012, Barbara and Dick traveled extensively within the US and abroad, making trips to Scotland, England, France, Bermuda, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Alaska, and the Netherlands. Barbara is survived by her four children and their spouses, Jim & Laura Hatch of Wall NJ, Nancy Hatch & Bill Fallon of Bradenton FL, Doug & Joan Hatch of Fort Collins CO (with whom Barbara lived following the death of her husband), and Betsy & Mike Leon of Orlando FL; nine grandchildren (Nathan, Emily, Jessica, Sarah, Samantha, Andrew, Kelli, Jamie, and Kirsten); a sister-in-law, Marjorie Royce, and her children and spouses, Bob & Linda Royce, Tommy Royce, Judy & Al Kobe. A Memorial Service will be scheduled at the Colts Neck Reformed Church at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to Hospice.

To read the full obituary, please click here: http://www.vesseyfuneralservice.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=4326061&fh_id=13050

Tributes