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From: Jim & Peggy Ducsay <>
Subject: [PA McKEAN] Thom Hatch of Port Alleghany
Date: Thu, 09 Nov 2000 09:47:26 -0500

Hello,

I recently found this list and would like to know if anyone remembers
Thom Hatch of Port Allegheny. I loved him as a brother.

I first met him about 1974. My grandparents, Newt & Evlyn Chadwick, had
a camp "Little Lake" at Combs Creek near Post Allegheny. (the camp is
still in the family) In abt. '94 my family was to be staying at camp
for a couple of weeks. My sister, Annette, and I decided to go to
church one Sunday. However, following Sunday I didn't go with her.
When we pulled up to the church to pick her up, she came out with a
man. He had a beard at the time and wore patchwork pants. I remember
thinking Oh no! He asked my parents if he could take Annette out. They
said Yes! I was horrified. How could they let her go with a total
stranger and so far from home. Well, in my opinion, it was one of the
best things they ever did! We quickly realized what a special person he
truly was. I miss him very much!

Thom had an Irish Setter named Peggy. Since my name is also Peggy, Thom
would love to say "Peggy!" and and then laugh when both the dog and I
would look up at him. Some how I think the Peggy knew that we shared
the same name, as I could get her to do things that she wouldn't do for
anyone else. I asked him once why he named the her "Peggy". He said
that when he went to get her the papers said "Puppy" but he misread them
thinking the they said "Peggy".

My Mom, Dad, little sister Amy, and I were at camp in September 1985. I
told Dad that I was going to Port to see Thom. Dad said "A guy doesn't
want to see his ex-fiancee's family". So I didn't go. A couple of days
after we returned home to, Washington, PA, we got a call from Thom's
sister. Thom had been killed in a car accident. It was September 10,
1985. My family was devastated. We had all loved Thom very much. At
the funeral his sister said he had been hoping that we would stop in to
see him. Saddly I had missed my chance to see his one last time.

The following is a newspaper article from the Bradford Journal dated
Sept. 12-18, 1985. If anyone out there has any stories about Thom or
has his obituary, I would love to hear from them. This is my tribute to
a wonderful person who always was eager to help others. Thank you for
taking the time to read this and allowing me to remember Thom on your
list. - Peggy Bedillion Ducsay

SIFU THOM HATCH DIES SUDDENLY

Editors note: The students of the Green Dragon School of Martial Arts
have written this Eulogy in honor of their teacher and friend at the
request of the Journal.

STUDENTS MOURN LOSS OF SIFU - by Steve Nichols

Sifu Thomas Hatch, teacher of Tiger-Crane Kung-Fu, was involved in a
fatal car crash at 1:45 p.m., Tuesday, September 10th. He was on his
way to one of his biweekly classes at UPB when the accident occurred.
Along with teaching at UPB, the Sifu, who lived in Port Alleghany, held
classes in Bradford, Green Dragon on Mechanic St.; Kane Armory; and had
just started a class in Port Alleghany.

Thom was more interested in properly teaching the martial arts, than
reaping a profit from it. Occasionally he would lose a student, do to
the fact that he treated his pupils as students with something to learn,
rather than customers who are always right.

Thom has touched a lot of lives over the years, but few people knew
him really well. Along with his talents in the martial arts, he had
also taken 10 years of piano, and was very mechanically inclined. His
artistic qualities were not only reflected in his achievements, but also
in the way he dealt with his students.

He was more than a teacher to us, he was our second father,
understanding our problems, and always willing to help. And we, his
students, are as brothers and sister, bonded by our art. This can best
be illustrated with the following quotes from some of his students.

Tony Ross remarked, "He taught me how to stand up for my honor."

His sister, Kathy Ross said, "He taught me respect, discipline and
self confidence. I love him very much."

Rick Minard summarized the feeling of several of the Sifu's students
when he said "He gave me a lot of self discipline and respect. he
taught me how to stand up for myself. Most of all he taught me the
art. He'll live in all our hearts, he loved us all very much and we all
loved him just as much. We'll never forget him or his dreams."

Upon learning of the death of Sifu Hatch, several of his advanced
students met with his family to discuss the feasibility of keeping one
of the schools open to preserve and honor his memory.

[The article includes a picture of Thom and two of his students. The
caption reads: Pictured in center above, in 1980, proud of his student,
proud of his art. Sifu Thom Hatch as he was]

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• [PA McKEAN] Thom Hatch of Port Alleghany by Jim & Peggy Ducsay <>