Donald Blair Hatfield
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Mar 19th, 2017
- Death Date: Mar 19, 2017
- Save: Print this Obituary
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Biography: Donald Blair Hatfield of Little Rock, Arkansas died at home on March 19, 2017 after a life filled with love, luck, and joy. Born in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, July 20, 1941, to Homer Don (H.D.) and Miriam (Bartleson) Hatfield, Don graduated from Ft. Smith High School in 1959 and Arkansas Tech in 1963. After college he served in the Army in Europe and then in Vietnam, and was awarded a Bronze Star. He had a long and rewarding career in Information Technology (which he always assured everyone was a result of luck and fortunate timing, and not of any technical skill), started to retire in 1995 and finally succeeded after three attempts in about 2010, after having done business in ?between 40 and 50? countries. Don served for almost 20 years as Advisory Board Chair for Youth Opportunities Unlimited, a program giving at-risk Arkansas youth a boost in academic achievement and a much-increased opportunity for high school graduation and college attendance. He was a Charter Member and past President of the Arkansas Academy of Computing, which has played an active role in enhancing computing education in the state and has funded hundreds of college scholarships in the field. He was an active Advisory Board member for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)?s Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI), and for the College of Engineering and Information Technology at UALR. He is survived by his beloved wife Marilyn (nee Weiser), with whom he shared romance and adventures on six continents (sorry, Antarctica) and an enduring love; a son, Andrew, and two granddaughters, Ellaina and Blair, all of Conway; two sisters, Vicky Kiehl (Bill) of Russellville and Robin Rylander (Nick) of Tulsa; a nephew Bill Kiehl (Holly) of Erie, CO and their three children; and many, many friends and relatives. He was preceded in death by a son, Peter (Pete) Aaron Clay Hatfield. The family has many people to thank, but first among them is the phenomenal staff at UAMS. Wonderful is far too weak a word. Thank you? Memorials: A message to Don?s friends ? Don has asked that no memorial services be held. Instead, he is asking us to dig a little deeper than usual and help him do some good on his way out. Before his death, Don began work on an endowment initiative at the Psychiatric Research Institute of UAMS with a particular focus on helping veterans and their families. You can help bring this effort to fruition by making a contribution in his memory. Please send your contributions to UAMS Foundation, 4301 W. Markham St., #716, Little Rock, AR 72205 or www.giving.uams.edu/give. Also include the notation ?In Memory of Donald B. Hatfield.? From Marilyn, part of a verse from the Scottish poet Robert Burns: ?Few hearts like his, with virtue warm'd; Few heads with knowledge so inform'd; If there's another world, he lives in bliss; If there is none, he made the best of this.?
Thank you Don for making my life better.
Dave
all of you. My contact with "Hat" began in 1988 when
I came to Systematics. The things I always admired most about him were his great sense of humor and the fact that he always gave me straight answers on business issues. He was a highly valued member of the Systmatics management and family and will be greatly missed by all. God Bless.
You, your family and Don's family will continue to be in our prayers. I know from our conversations and your borther's obituary that your brother will be missed and that he is now at peaceful rest.
So sorry for your loss of your brother. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time.
My thoughts and prayers are with you in these difficult times. Reading the obituary it sounds like your brother was truly a special man with a great heart. I am sure you feel blessed for the time you had with him.
Sincerely
Bruce Tappen
Louise Miller
And, too bad Antarctica. It was your loss that Don didn't have time to visit.
Love,
Charlene Davis
I met Hat as a 26 year lad (as he always called me). He was a mentor whom I respected and tried to emulate.
Those who knew Hat would understand the following story - he and I were calling on a client and it started raining. He looked at me and said, "I hold you responsible for the rain. You should have checked the weather". I'll miss his sardonic disposition.
I am honored to say he was my friend.
Don will be missed. I know his family was always very important to him.
We had the honor of sharing Andy and two of the most wonderful Grand Daughters with Don and Marilyn.