Longtime Abilene Christian University teacher education faculty member and technology coordinator Lucy Meaders Hatch (’85 M.Ed.) of Abilene, Texas, died Sept. 7, 2026, at age 87.
Hatch was born Nov. 8, 1938, in Jackson, Mississippi; and earned a B.A. degree in elementary education from the University of Mississippi (1960), where she was a freshman cheerleader, featured twirler and flute player for the Pride of the South Marching Band at Ole Miss. She wed classmate Garnie Ray Hatch on March 20, 1959, during her junior year of college, before starting a 43-year teaching career.
She taught fifth grade in Alachua, Florida (1961-65); fourth grade in Gainesville, Florida (1965-68), where she was named Outstanding Young Educator for a nine-county district; and third grade in Torrance, California (1968-70), before Garnie was named head basketball coach at ACU in 1969.
Lucy taught seventh, eighth and ninth grade English in the Abilene ISD’s Franklin Junior High (1969-70) and fourth, fifth and sixth grades at Taylor Elementary (1970-82) before becoming a mathematics consultant for Region IV Education Service Center (1982-85).
Hatch earned an M.Ed. degree from ACU in 1985, the same year she joined its teacher education faculty. She retired 19 years later in 2004 as assistant professor emerita of education after receiving the Outstanding Teacher award from the university’s College of Professional Studies (1991-92), the Outstanding Educator award from the College of Arts and Sciences (1996-97), Mentor of the Year Awards from the Student Education Association (1987, 1994 and 1999), and a Scholarship Award from the Texas Association of Professors of Reading (1993).
In retirement, she and Garnie volunteered at Abilene’s Christian Service Center, where she directed the Operation Blue Jeans Program and School Supply Drive for several years.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Garner Meaders and Myrtis Flowers Meaders. Among survivors are Garnie, her husband of 67 years; sons Ray (’82) and wife Kem (Hart ’80) Hatch, and Lee (’91) and wife Liz (Mathis ’90) Hatch; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
– Ron Hadfield
Sept. 23, 2026