Thomas F. Hatton's Obituary
HATTON, Thomas F., age 85, of Waynesville, passed away Thursday, June 6, 2024, at Village at the Greene.
Tom graduated from Waynesville High School and earned a Bachelor’s Degree from UD. After many years of service to the company, he retired as a Systems Analyst from Nexis Lexis (formerly Mead) in 1992. He was a member of the Waynesville American Legion, Post 615.
Tom was well-known in Waynesville and throughout the Miami Valley for an exceptional talent in sports. During his years at Waynesville High School, he earned All-County honors in basketball during the 1955 and 1956 seasons and All-District in 1956. In addition, he was a four-year letterman in baseball and was regarded as a top prospect for a potential career in professional baseball before injuries interfered. He was also All-County in track during the 1954 and 1955 seasons. Tom was inducted into the Waynesville High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997. After graduating from Waynesville, he played at the University of Dayton from 1959-1962. His accomplishments at UD include 925 career points and a team that finished as the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) champions during the 1962 season, led by coach Tom Blackburn. The St. Louis Hawks drafted Tom in the 1962 NBA draft. He was inducted into the University of Dayton Hall of Fame in 1982. It should be noted that his time playing basketball, both in high school and college, was spent with his brother as a teammate. The teams that the Hatton brothers played on will always be remembered as some of the most exciting and competitive teams in Waynesville and UD history.
Tom’s favorite hobbies included hunting and fishing. He especially enjoyed fishing in Minnesota and grouse hunting in Wisconsin. He looked forward each year to those trips with his good friend, Gary Van Nuys, and often started preparing for the adventures months in advance.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Martha Hatton, and his brother, Gordon “Gordie” Hatton. He is survived by two daughters, Colleen Hatton and Tracey Hatton.
A celebration of life gathering will be held from 4 - 7 PM on Thursday, June 13, at Stubbs-Conner Funeral Home in Waynesville. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton or the Village at the Greene. Condolences at www.stubbsconner.com.
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