Kenneth Ray Hatcher, 79, a native of Paducah, Kentucky, and a current resident of Miramar Beach, Florida, passed away on December 2, 2023.
Ken was born in 1944 at Riverside Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky. His parents were the late Marvin and Dorothy Hatcher, and his grandparents were M.T. and Nellie (Yopp) Riley, and Aubrey W. and Ada (Johnson) Hatcher.
Ken was married in May 1968 to Charlotte (Workman) Hatcher at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Paducah. Ken was a graduate of St. Mary’s Academy in Paducah; University of Notre Dame College of Engineering in South Bend, Indiana; and the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. He served in the Army Reserve for six years earning the rank of SP6 and was the senior linguist for the 321st Military Intelligence Detachment.
He had a career as a civil/environmental engineer and had been licensed as a professional engineer in eight states. During the summers of his college time, he worked in the survey department at Edward T. Hannan & Associates in Paducah. Then his career included being vice-president of Farris, Hatcher, Tremper & Associates in Paducah; president of Stevenson & Palmer Engineering in Albany, Smyrna, Augusta, and Savannah, Georgia; and chief civil engineer for the Baskerville-Donovan offices in Tallahassee, Apalachicola, and Panama City, Florida. After his engineering career he worked for six years as a Program Manager for Northrup-Grumman, managing programs for Air Force bases in the U.S., Middle East and Africa from the headquarters on Tyndall Air Force Base.
Ken was active in Paducah Jaycees, holding several offices including president. He was honored with Duke of Paducah and Kentucky Colonel awards. He served two terms as Chairman of the South Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He was involved in his community and served as president of condo and homeowner associations in Panama City Beach and Sandestin.
He was a lifelong Catholic involved in parish councils, building committees, and finance committees at Catholic parishes in Paducah, Kentucky; Albany, Georgia; and Miramar Beach, Florida. He was an active member of the Men’s Club of Resurrection Parish. He was elected to many church organizations including chairman of the St. Mary Elementary School (Paducah) Board, president of St. Teresa’s (Albany) parish council and president of Leadership Council at Resurrection Catholic Church. He was active in the Knights of Columbus Councils in Albany and Miramar Beach, and was a fourth degree Knight in the Ft. Walton Beach Assembly.
He is survived by wife Charlotte Hatcher, sons Timothy Hatcher and Matthew Hatcher (Susie); grandchildren Chase (Keri), Shelby Beaty (Derek), Tyler, Dean, Abby, and Dylan; and great-grandchildren Raiden, Maverick, Alister, August, and Tallie.
Funeral Mass will be at Resurrection Catholic Church, Miramar Beach, Florida, celebrated by Fr. Tom Guido at 11:30 AM on Monday, December 11, 2023. Visitation will be at the church beginning one hour prior to the Mass. Funeral Mass will be live streamed through Davis-Watkins. Arrangements are under the direction of Davis-Watkins Funeral Home in Miramar Beach, FL.
Burial will be at Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery, Paducah, Kentucky with graveside services by Rev. Gary Clark of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church at 10:30 AM on Thursday, December 14, 2023. No visitation will take place prior to graveside services. Arrangements are under the direction of Milner-Orr Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Paducah, KY.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to be made to St. Mary School, 1243 Elmdale Road, Paducah, Kentucky, 42003.
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