Aug 22 was Curtis Hatch's birthday. It was usually the county fair time also...and it was our anniversary. Curt said all he wanted for his birthday was me! He also said that if I married him on his birthday he would never forget our anniversary. We married in 1975. We usually went to the rodeo and fair to celebrate our anniversary and his birthday with the family. He found out on his birthday in 1987, just 11 short years later...that he had non hodgkin's lymphoma... a form of cancer that starts in the lymph nodes and spreads. His had spread to the bone in his leg. He gave it a valiant fight. In those olden days he had a 16 percent chance to survive. In today's world the odds are closer to 69 percent survival. After the chemo and the radiation...Curt thought he had won the battle and in July of 1988 he went back to work. It was on his birthday just three weeks later that he found out the cancer was back, actually had never left... We tried to find a bone marrow donor that would match, with no luck. In Sept the Dr's told him there was nothing more they could do. It was Oct 12 that the Dr's said his kidneys had quit working and it was just a matter of time...around 48 hours...I started to call family to say "if your going to say good bye you better hurry and get up here....we are running out of time fast"... On Oct 16, Katie finished reading the Louis L'Amour book to her dad. She'd been reading to him after school for a while. He called each of the kids in to give them some "last instructions and advice" and to tell them that he loved them. Earlier he'd had little Bryan crawl up on the bed with him for cuddles and a nap. Bryan had just had his 3rd birthday on Oct 11. My Dad and mom made it up about two...and about four my Grandpa and Grandma Christensen arrived. Grandpa shook hands with Curt and said "I hate to be the one to tell you this...but your still way to strong to die. I'm going to go before you do." Curt told Grandpa "No this is the real thing. I'll be checking out here real quick like." About 6 p.m. he went into a coma. That night as we were getting ready for bed Katie asked if she could say the family prayer. As she prayed she asked Heavenly Father to take her dad back home so He could care for him there. She said he was hurting too bad to stay here on earth. At 2 A.M. her prayers were answered. As the ambulance arrived with its flashing lights to take Curt away, little Bryan and I were the only ones awake. Bryan kept asking "Where daddy go?" At the funeral he tapped on the casket and said "wake up Daddy, go home now"
It has been such a long time now since Curt said good bye to us. Curt was 33 when he died...but in the years that he was here on earth he worked hard...and he played hard. He lived life to it's fullest! He loved to tease and pull practical jokes! He loved his family and he was loyal to his family and friends. He loved wrestling! He always had time to help others. Even if it was taking a phone call in the middle of the night...or going with the scouts for their Klondike Camping in the snow. Or pulling a vehicle out of the canal. Or helping change a flat tire...He loved life. He gave many gifts of "time". Like helping finish a basement...or plowing a garden site...or helping shingle a house...or taking a drive up to the top of the mountain in Mantua. He may of been a little outspoken...but you always knew where you stood with him and he was so honest it sometimes hurt. But he didn't mean to ever be hurtful. He didn't hold grudges or resentments, forgiving quickly and freely. He was always looking forward and planning what would be best for tomorrow. And always thinking of others. He made a difference in many people's life.... Happy Birthday Curtis.
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