Memoriams - Bob Hatter -

ROBERT "BOB" HATTER, born on March 8, 1951 in Snyder, Texas, passed on to his greater reward on December 22, 2005 after a courageous fight with leukemia. Bob was a long-time resident of Houston and Katy, Texas and a graduate of Westbury High School. In 2005, he was selected as a member of the A.P.S.P. Hall of fame after 23 years of service in the swimming pool industry. His passion for being a little league umpire was rewarded with his selection to umpire in the 2006 Little League World Series. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hib and Pearl Hatter. He is survived by his loving wife, Donna; daughter, Tori Kuykendall and husband Pat; son, Scott Hatter and fiancé Jane Houser; granddaughter, Erin Kuykendall; brother, Jimmy Hatter and wife Susan; sister, Kathy Lawrence and husband Luke; many nieces, nephews and other loving relatives and friends. The family will accept visitors at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home at 1 PM on December 26th, 2005. A memorial Service will be held at 3 PM in the Memorial Oaks Chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in his name to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Leukemia research.
********************************************************************************

Little League Baseball and the world lost a great man last night. And I lost a dear friend.

Bob Hatter lost his battle with his very aggressive type of Leukemia around 10:30 pm Thursday night 12/22/05.

Despite all the blood donations, platelets, white blood cell donations, drugs and chemotherapy, the Doctors were unable to keep the infections from overwhelming him and spreading throughout his body over the last few days and weeks.

The family met with all of Bob's doctors and following that meeting, the family and Bob collectively made the decision, that in spite of how much they all wanted him to stay with us and how much we all loved him, it was time to let him go. He deserved to leave this world in dignity and grace to the extent they could give that to him.

Donna has done an outstanding job of handling the situation to the best of her ability. All our prayers are with her and the rest of Bob's family.

To those that did not know, Bob received his invitation to Umpire at the Little League World Series this coming Summer. The games will be missing an extraordinary man.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in Bob's name to one of the research programs connected with MD Anderson Cancer Center. I will send a follow-up email with the specifics.

Obituary will be posted in the Houston Chronicle starting Saturday and can be accessed via their website at www.chron.com.

Bobby Marshall

***********************************************************************************************************************