GILE, Wis. - Will was born April 2, 1958 to Bob and Betty Hatcher in Dayton, Ohio, and was the eldest of five
children. Will was truly blessed with a fun loving childhood, and spent his early school years in
Huber Heights, Ohio, with the family later relocating to Yellow Springs, Ohio. He inherited his
love of baseball and the Cincinnati "Redlegs" from his father and his kind and giving heart from
his mother. He graduated from Yellow Springs High School with the Class of 1977 where he
played basketball and made some lifelong friends. His most cherished childhood memories were
made at Seneca Lake in upstate New York where his family spent many glorious summer
vacations together. This is the time his grandfather taught him an appreciation of the great
outdoors and fishing, which turned into his passion throughout his life.

After graduation from high school, he visited his sister Holly in Northern Wisconsin and fell in
love with the area and moved to Cable, Wisconsin. While residing in Cable he worked at
Telemark Lodge, and those were the days of banquets, wine and roses. His love of the
Northwoods was contagious, and at one time, all of his siblings and his Mom resided in the
Cable area. He made many lifelong friends in the Cable area. He and his brothers Jon and Curt
enjoyed hunting and fishing together and shared their love of the Green Bay Packers.

He later joined the US Navy and was stationed on a destroyer that took him all over the country
and the world, serving for eight years. It is from this time we picked up the family refrain,
"Willie, Willie I love you, long time my life." The story goes that the women he met while in port
were charmed by him and wanted to marry. He once had a woman in Australia travel to his next
port just so she could be there and meet him when his ship arrived! Not only was he charming,
he was incredibly smart and funny! Towards the end of his Navy career he was stationed at
Whidbey Island, Washington. During his time in the Navy, he trained for and ran his first
marathon. He also loved playing tennis, hiking, biking, and traveling, including camping trips
with sister Martha and a fishing expedition at Eagle Lake in Canada with his Dad and brother
Jon.

After his service in the Navy, he again gravitated back to Northern Wisconsin where he would
plant his heart in the Chequamegon National Forest. His love of the outdoors, the lakes and
woods, and fishing made this the perfect place for him to call home. He worked as a civilian at
Clam Lake, Wisconsin ELF Transmission Site for several years prior to its closing in 2004. He
bought a home in Cable, adopted his beloved golden retriever Dusty, and purchased his
first fishing boat. These were some of the best years of Wilbur's life, when he could
happily spend his days off taking his dog and boat on the lake for a day of hunting
muskies and having a few brews. Through these years, Will continued to train for local
athletic events, including competing in the Firehouse 50, the Chequamegon Fat Tire and
skiing the American Birkebeiner several times, to name just a few.

He was proud of these accomplishments. And he was really proud of being an Uncle.
When his nieces and nephews were young, he was the "fun Uncle" taking them on
adventures, having sleepovers and bringing them out on his boat and making fond

memories they would all cherish forever. Wilbur loved his family and had friends
everywhere he went. He loved to tell the stories of his interesting adventures in life. He
had a beautiful singing voice and could frequently be heard singing Karaoke at some of
the local taverns. He blessed us all when he tearfully sang Amazing Grace at his nephew
Josh's wake. He spent his final years living in Gile, Wisconsin where he resided until his
untimely death. Wilbur was everyone's friend; he was loved and fun to be around, the
life of the party actually. He had a heart of gold, and throughout his life's adventures, he
made friends everywhere and anywhere he went. What an honorable accomplishment in
life, really, to be everyone's friend.

He is survived by his loving siblings, Jon & Paula Hatcher, San Antonio, Texas, Martha
& Tim Malone, Reston, Virginia, Holly Hatcher, Madison, Wisconsin, Curtis Hatcher,
Kerrville, Texas, nephews, Jake and Dane, nieces, Megan, Katie, Rebecca, and Jessie,
great nieces Lilly and Lucy and great nephew Deklan, and cousins and friends too many
to count.

He was preceded in death by his beloved canine companion Dusty, parents Bob and Lu
Hatcher, and Betty Minnear/Frawley and Jim Frawley, and nephew Josh Hatcher.
Please direct any cards/condolences to: Jon Hatcher: 2928 Lotus Park Schertz, Texas,
78154. A virtual service will be announced at a later date.

Raise a glass and toast to Wilbur's life and be a friend to all. That's what Wilbur would
do. Toodles ~

As posted on Wilbur's FaceBook page under favorite quotes:
• "I think this would be a good time for a beer." FDR, after signing a partial end to prohibition,
allowing for 3.2 beer. :-)