Carl Hatton Obituary

Carl Elmer Hatton, born September 28, 1933 in Danville, IL to Charles Elmer Hatton and Orlena Jane Melton passed away at age 80 on Sunday, April 6, 2014, in CO Springs, CO.

Carl played clarinet in a small band for a while and performed in high school drama club and musicals and was a lifelong lover of music. Carl attended Danville High School (with the famous Van Dyke brothers), along with his brother John, sisters Mary Belle and Lucia, and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp shortly after graduation. Carl proudly served his country (Once a Marine, Always a Marine-Semper Fi), with an assignment in North Korea from January 1952 to January 1953 and stateside until 1955. He could still tap a few things out in Morse code until very recently, and he and his daughter Andi proudly attended the annual Marine Corps Birthday in Colorado Springs.

After returning to Danville after his military service, he married and began his family while working at General Motors and later became an apprentice linotype operator at the local newspaper along with several other family members. As a member of the International Typographical Union (ITU) he became a local union organizer throughout IL and IN until he and his family relocated to CO Springs in 1970 to assume his role as Deputy Administrator of the ITU Negotiated Pension Plan (NPP). Carl was appointed Administrator of the pension plan in 1976 and served until his resignation in 1990, traveling extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada. While he worked and traveled he was still able to find time to study and became one of the first Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (CEBS) in 1983 through the Wharton School of Business.

After leaving the NPP, Carl joined his son Carl Jr. and another partner in his next adventure as owners of a local business until he semi-retired and returned to work another few years before retiring again.

Carl was an avid golfer and played as much and whenever he could. Carl and Ginny traveled to many different cities and states so they could see the golf courses!! Hawaii was Carl's favorite place to visit. He also liked mowing the grass, he read extensively - especially military history - movies, and reminiscing. He was a dedicated Green Bay Packer fan and a highlight for him was a live Packer game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay with both sons, and another game in Denver when they played Green Bay a couple of years later.

Carl is survived by his wife of 33 years, Ginny, daughter Andrea Pitman (Gary), sons Carl Hatton Jr. (Donna) and Reed Raiten, his sisters Mary Belle Luton of Avon Lake, OH and Lucia Jording of Hankinson, ND, three grandchildren - Holly Arnold, Rachel Hatton, Miles Hatton, a great-granddaughter, and many nieces and nephews. His brother John predeceased him. The mother of Andrea and Carl Jr., Cathy Harring, also survives.

Memorial services will be held at Swan-Law Funeral Director's, 501 N. Cascade Avenue, on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 1:00 p.m, with reception immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Namaste Alzheimer Care Center, 2 Penrose Boulevard, CO Springs, CO, the Alzheimer's Association of Colorado, or the National Kidney Foundation.