Matt Hatton Sr.

He was the beloved husband of Mary Jane (Connelly) Hatton, whom he was married to for 40 years.

Michael was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 22, 1949, to Julian Burroughs Hatton and Mary (Pulliam) Hatton. He graduated from the Leelanau Preparatory School in 1968 and Oakland University in 1982.

Mike had three distinct careers in which he was able to contribute his considerable gifts. During the Vietnam years, he served as a cook in the U.S. Navy. He was immensely proud of having been a navy cook and parlayed those skills into preparing delicious meals for his family. After graduating from college, Mike went to work at Focus:HOPE, a job training and nutritional program based in Detroit. Using his considerable knowledge of food preparation and nutrition Mike was the Nutrition Education Coordinator creating delicious, nutritious meals that the food recipients could make in their own homes.

After providing those valuable services to the Focus:HOPE community, he answered the call to return to the Navy, this time as a Naval Reserve Recruiter.

He plunged into his role as recruiter for a volunteer Navy Reserve during peacetime and continued recruiting through the Gulf War, up until the end of 1999, when he retired from recruiting highly-skilled, talented young men and women into the Navy Reserves.

Mike attended the Birmingham Unitarian Church in Birmingham, Michigan, where he and Mary Jane took their two sons, Michael P. Hatton, Jr., and Christopher W. Hatton, to church. He enjoyed church events that involved food preparation and food presentation! He was a passionate sports enthusiast spending many hours watching the Lions, Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons win, lose and tie. Whenever there was, a big game on you could always find him with his son, Christopher, cheering on the home team.

Mike will be remembered for his love of life, love of good food, and love of his family.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; his sons, Michael P. Hatton, Jr. (Jenny), Christopher W. Hatton; his mother, Mary (Pulliam) Merwin; his step-mother, Joyce V. Hatton; his siblings, Judy Merwin, Nancy Merwin, John Merwin, Fritz Hatton (Caren), Greg Hatton, (Anne), Julian Hatton, (Alyson), Brett Hatton, and Lydia Hatton. In addition, his beautiful grandchildren, Paige Makayla Hatton, and Caleb Nathaniel Hatton, survive him.

There will be a Memorial Service held for Michael Hatton at the Birmingham Unitarian Church at a date to be announced.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Houghton County Medical Care Facility’s “Activities Fund”. (HCMCF, 1000 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI 49931) or UP Health System – Portage Hospice Promise Foundation, 821 W. Water Street, Hancock, MI 49930. Note “Attention: Hospice” on the envelope.

The outstanding care he received from both HCMCF and Portage Hospice made his final journey one surrounded in love, care and comfort.

To view Mike’s obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit memorialchapel.net.

The Memorial Chapel & Plowe Funeral Homes of Hancock are assisting the family with the arrangements.