Vera Hatman

Vera Nettie Hatman was born the daughter of Fred B. Kenney and Ruth A. (Garrettson) Kenney on January 27, 1923 in St. Cloud, Florida and departed this life November 26, 2012 at Shady Oaks Healthcare Center in Thayer, Missouri at the age of 89 years.

She graduated from St. Cloud High School in 1941 and attended Orange Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Orlando, Florida, graduating in 1944.

Vera was stationed in England during World War II, where she proudly served her country in the Army Nurse Corp.  During that time, she met her husband, Archie.

After moving to Thayer, she worked as a nurse, assisting Dr. A.T. Walker with labor and deliveries at his clinic in Mammoth Spring.  She helped to deliver over 500 babies.

In 1958 she went to work for the Oregon County Health Department as County Nurse.  During that time, she traveled throughout the county conducting clinics in schools for vaccinations, TB testing, and hearing and vision checks.  She worked closely with the Crippled Childrens Service and escorted many premature babies in incubators to area hospitals, where they could receive more intensive care.  During the 1980’s, she helped provide home health care throughout the county.  She retired from the health department in 1987.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Archie; son, Kenney; granddaughter, Kristen; great grandson, Grady DuBois; her parents, Fred and Ruth Kenney; three sisters, Nell, Peg, and Bertha and two brothers, Bill and Howard.

She is survived by her children, Glenda Lewis of Little Rock, Arkansas, Paulette Hatman of Ava, Missouri, Don Hatman and wife, Cindy of Thayer, Missouri, and Patricia Krumwiede and husband, Vernon of Fulton, Missouri; one granddaughter, Christie Hatman of Thayer, Missouri; one grandson, Jared Hatman of San Clemente, California; seven great grandchildren; two sisters, Phyllis Ponce of St. Cloud, Florida and Delores Osburn of Laughlin, Nevada; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

For the past eighteen months, she was a resident of Shady Oaks Healthcare Center in Thayer.  After her arrival there, she loved it and was loved by the caring staff and soon considered that her home.

Mrs. Hatman was a member of the St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Thayer, Missouri.

She will be remembered as an avid reader, a very generous, giving person who dedicated her life to helping patients and their families throughout the county who needed her assistance, and being a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.  She will truly be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Funeral Services for Mrs. Hatman will be at  2:00 PM, Wednesday, November 28, 2012 at the Carter Funeral Home Chapel in Thayer, Missouri with burial in the Thayer Cemetery.  Services are under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc. in Thayer.