Obituary of Mary Kate Hatcher

Mary Kate Hatcher was born on November 15th, 1924 in Cumberland, Virginia to the late Moses and Elizabeth Brumskill Goff. She was the third of five children. She attended the public school system in Powhatan County and graduated from the Pocahontas High School. At an early age she accepted Christ and was baptized into the fellowship of the Center Union Baptist Church. In January 1945 she was joined in holy matrimony with Frank Loving Hatcher in Baltimore, MD. They moved to Long Island soon thereafter where they lived and worked on the Young farm in Aquebogue. Mary would work on the farm and attend sewing classes whenever she had a chance, soon becoming an accomplished seamstress. She joined the First Baptist Church of Riverhead on August 9th, 1953 where she has been a faithful member. She was a member of the Usher Board for over 50 years; a Sunday School teacher for over 30 years; Church Secretary for over 25 years, a position from which she retired in 1996; a member and past president of the PFC Langhorn Library and the Mary's Club, and numerous special committees. She also faithfully attended the Bible Study Class until her health began to fail. She loved her Church! Mary gave her all in whatever she did, and believed that if it was worth doing it was worth doing well. Over the years she was very involved in the community, including volunteering at the Riverhead Free Library and working for the Suffolk County Board of Elections for many years. She was always an advocate for a good cause, and became a member of the Negro Business and Professional Women Clubs, the NAACP and after hearing about the National Council of Negro Women, she researched the organization and brought it to the attention of her pastor. Soon thereafter the National Council of Negro Women Eastern Suffolk Section was established and headquartered out of the First Baptist Church of Riverhead. She was the President for numerous years, and under her leadership they started the Saturday morning reading program which they provided tutoring services to elementary school aged children. She believed that a good education was essential, and exemplified that with her continual efforts to further her own education whether it was a home training program or attending classes at the local community college. She received her Associates Degree from Suffolk Community College in 1983, and later a Real Estate Salesperson License, a field she worked many years. Mary loved sewing, learning, children and her Church and she could always be found doing something that involved one of them. Over the years she worked from home, raising her children, and contracting her sewing services to local businesses like Syms Men's Store and Vojvoda's Cleaners for many years. She was a hardworking, loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend, and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Mary is predeceased by her eldest son, Vernon Leroy Hatcher and her husband, Frank Loving Hatcher. She leaves to cherish fond memories four children, Terry Hatcher (Debra) of Virginia Beach, VA; Alan Hatcher of Riverhead, NY; Kim Stephens (Michael) of Aquebogue, NY; Troy Hatcher (Michelle) of Brooklyn Park, MN; one sister, Jane Green of Brooklyn, NY; one sister-in-law, Darnella Goff of Amityville, NY; fifteen grandchildren, Tayanee (Jerome), Terrence, Raymond, Nikia, Teasha, Wynisha, Treval, Marquise, Michael, Moshe, Adrianna, Kymberlee, Kyle, Tory and Myles; four great grandchildren; five nephews; ten nieces; one Goddaughter, Felicia Lee (Alvin); several great great nephews and nieces, and a host of cousins, relatives and friends.