Joan Merry Hatch

September 12, 1945 ~ January 25, 2020 

Joan Merry (Lehman) Hatch, loving mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 25, 2020 at the age of 74 due to a stroke.  

She was born September 12, 1945 in Upland, CA to Bernice and Arthur Lehman.  She was one of four girls (including Marilyn, Pat, and Toni) raised by their mother.  

Joan was a curious girl from a young age and always enjoyed learning new things. Joan loved school and graduated from Newport Harbor High School, and also attended BYU for some time. She loved reading, especially about religion, health, and politics.  

On June 9, 1966, Joan married the love of her life, Dell Fearnley Hatch for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

Life with Dell was never dull.  They moved all over the west during their nearly 50 years together.  They lived in multiple cities in California and Utah.  They also lived in Arizona and Idaho for a time.  

They frequently worked together, starting multiple successful businesses primarily in child care and real estate.  

Joan was the Director of several child care centers and loved working with the kids.  She enjoyed learning  about child development and applied that knowledge with her own kids as well as those she cared for.  

She was a brave soul giving birth to all of her babies naturally at home. She loved her family more than anything.  She found great joy in helping with homework, cooking family meals, throwing amazing birthday parties, and taking the family to interesting places.

Joan became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a teenager.  It was a lifelong commitment for her.  She served in many church callings, most recently in the Stake Primary Presidency. 

Her faith in God was a sustaining influence to her throughout her life, helping her through several tragic and difficult times, most notably the loss of two daughters and her husband.  

Joan was a loving, happy woman who liked to look on the bright side of life.  You could also say she was a bit eccentric and liked her independence.  She was a kind soul, always concerned about her family and those around her.

Joan was a loving and devoted mother to five children and two stepchildren. Surviving children include Ransom (Krissy) Hatch, Derek (Heidi) Hatch, and Brandon (Erica) Hatch. Surviving stepchildren include Michele (Frank) Peterson and Corey (Colleen) Hatch.  

She is preceded in death and welcomed home by two daughters, Tamara and Ann Marie, as well as her husband, Dell.  

Her posterity includes 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, February 8 at 11 a.m. at the LDS church located at 165 South Main in Monticello.  Interment at Provo City Cemetery.

The family attempted for years to get Joan to move north with them, but she loved Monticello and its people too much to go.  

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to her many friends, fellow church members, and neighbors who selflessly served and cared for her when her family could not be there.  

In lieu of flowers, please use those funds to brighten the day of a neighbor in need.

Joan was our angel on Earth and now she is our angel in Heaven.