Loran Hatch

Loran B. Hatch, 68, of Mountain Home, passed away on Aug. 8, 2013, at home.

Loran was born to Horace Hatch and Afton Blacker Hatch on July 20, 1945, in Rupert, Idaho.

Loran grew up on a small farm in Rupert, where he was the youngest of five children.

Loran was loved by his family and was remembered by them as always being a happy child, who always had a smile on his face.

He loved and had a way with the many farm animals and liked to make pets out of them. One particularly mean rooster that would chase him around the yard came to mind and a lamb that followed him wherever he went, even as a full grown sheep.

Loran learned his love of baseball from his father, who was also an avid ball lover. When it was time to milk the cows, all the kids would head down to the barn and between setting the milkers, their father taught them to play ball in the stack yard. Loran took to baseball like a fish to water.

He had many wonderful childhood friends growing up and as a youngster enjoyed participating in sports and athletic activities including baseball, basketball and football.

After graduating from Minico High School in 1963, he attended Utah State University.

Later, he pursued his passion for farming by hiring on with Pure Gro as a chemical and fertilizer field man.

In 1967, Loran was relocated to Mountain Home as manager for the Pure Gro Field Office.

Little did he know that Mountain Home was to become his lifelong home.

Loran continued to love and play slow- and fast-pitch softball. In 1968, he was awarded MVP for a nail-biting fast-pitch tournament, tied up 0-0, where the pitcher walked him and he ultimately ended up completing the run to win the game 1-0.

A few years later, he spearheaded the creation and completion of the "Basque Ball Field" that sat behind Good Counsel Hall.

He enjoyed spending time at Joe's Club and Adrian's, shooting pool, playing foosball and shootin' the breeze with friends and farmers...he knew no stranger.

In 1969, Loran met Gayle Knox. They married in 1970 and in 1973 they welcomed their son, David Loran, into the world. Kelly Anne followed in 1976.

Loran married Maxine Foster in 1979, and became involved in the lives and athletic activities of her children: Richard, Steve, David and Lee Foster.

About that same time in his life, Loran began working for Western Farm Service, where he was able to continue to assist farmers in their growing and fertilizing needs. He met countless friends in this line of work and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

He also enjoyed playing golf, bowling and being on the football chain gang while he watched his son, David, play football for the Mountain Home Tigers.

In 1990, Loran began dating Shirley Peterson, with whom he would share the rest of his life. Together, in 1993, they became the proud owner/operators of The Sunset Sports Pub. The Sunset was, and is, such a huge part of their lives. The friendships there were more like family to them. They laughed and cried through it all... together.

At The Sunset, Loran's love of sports flourished into a full-time job of putting together and organizing annual tournaments, leagues and of course "Giggy." Each and every day Loran poured his heart and soul into making certain that every detail was in order and took great pride in his work.

The countless hours spent, whether at the bar, working in the yard at home or the cabin in Pine, growing, planting, building, painting or doing whatever project Shirley had waiting for him, was done with great methodical and intricate care, no matter how long it took. For Loran, there was always work to be done, "you've got to get your work done before you get to play."

As a rule, you could always find him out in the yard hard at work, manicuring his lawn and flowers, never to find a single blade of grass out of place, and always sporting his cut off Levis and, of course, the infamous Sunset Bar hat.

He loved to observe the fruits of his hard labors after a long days' work with a cold Oly in hand and watching the other love of his life, the New York Yankees.

Loran's work is finally done here and now it's time for him to hang up his hat.

Loran was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, friend and mentor to so many. He will be missed by all that knew him for being such a solid, dependable and honorable man and always with such a jovial disposition. He will live on in our hearts and at the Sunset Bar by remembering all the good times and funny shenanigans he loved to be a part of.

He is survived by: his wife, Shirley; son David (Angela) Hatch, Post Falls; daughter Kelly (Aaron) Mai, Nampa; sister Myrna (Gary) Fenton, Ogden, Utah; bother Larry (Diane) Hatch, West Valley, Utah; sister Karen (Max) Serr, Paul, Idaho; stepson Jack (Sandy) Neal, Meridian; stepdaughter Kris (Rick) Franklin, Mountain Home; multiple grand children and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Merilynn Hatch Dalley.

We'd like to thank all the friends, family and patrons (you know who you are) for the all help, care and concern, loves, hugs, prayers and support. Not to mention all the hard work, extra hours cleaning, mowing, tending bar and everything in between. And finally, to Miss Katie, the only nurse out there more ornery than he, who could put up with him. Our hats are off to you all. We appreciate you all, and you know he sure did. WE LOVE YOU ALL.

A celebration of his life was held at the Sunset on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013. A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.