Lee P. Hatfield Jr - written Friday, April 12, 2013

Today is a happy-sad day for all of us who knew and loved our Dad. As I write this I marvel at how beautiful it is outside, as though God redeemed the storm-filled day Cheryl and I experienced yesterday driving east from Clarksville, TN back to Greenville. We pulled in to my parent's home at 9:45 PM; Dad passed into heaven at 11:05 PM, the "mortal putting on immortality." The moments with my siblings - Kathryn, Ellen, and John were priceless. We knew the treasure of a father's love and it prepared us as children to understand the love of our Heavenly Father. I thought as we drove from Clarksville - "A father cannot make a child a Christian, but a father can be an obstacle for a child to embrace Christ by faith." Our father loved us generously and faithfully in a way that tilled the soil of our hearts to receive the seed of the Gospel. What greater gift can a father provide his children?

Dad was faithful, steady, competent, intelligent, practical, forward-thinking, funny (very), family-oriented, generous, wise, economical with words, and clearly spiritual. He loved God, Mom, his children, his siblings, and the church. His spirituality exceeded his need to wax eloquent about spiritual things. His life was one long sermon. He often left me wanting more expressions from him, but I know we all treasure our exchanges with him.

I know I have not posted pictures of our Dad today. Others are far more capable of that than me. But hear a word to all of you who have known, loved, and/or cared for our parents - "Thank you!" In loving Dad, you have loved us as generously as our father...

- Mark

Dad on his 82nd birthday Aug 16, 2012