PHYLLIS HATCHER

Phyllis Hatcher, cherished mother, sister, grandmother, and beloved wife of Lu Ellsworth, passed away on Sunday, December 10, 2023. Born and raised “out in the Hurricane” section of Wise, Phyllis was the eldest of six daughters of Napoleon and Elizabeth Parsons.

Phyllis’s Christian faith was the cornerstone of her life. Her well-worn red Bible, bookmarked and tagged, and books by Billy Graham and other faith leaders were always by her bedside. She had several church homes over the years and cherished friends in each of those congregations, from her upbringing in the Hurricane Baptist Church to her years at Norton United Methodist, where attendance by the Hatcher family every Sunday was NOT optional.

In more recent years, Phyllis and her husband of thirty-one years, Lu, led in the founding of the Appalachian Prayer Fellowship, an initiative committed to broadening the traditional reach of the church and serving the greater community. They also have been blessed in recent years through their fellowship with the welcoming congregation of Wise Baptist Church.

As an educator, Phyllis’s impact was profound and enduring. After attending Clinch Valley College part time while working at the U.S. Forest Service office in Wise, she received her Bachelor of Arts from CVC and later her Master’s degree in Education through the University of Virginia. She began her teaching career in 1975 and dedicated over 30 years to teaching language arts in the public schools and teaching in the Upward Bound program during the summers. She adored her students, even (or especially) the ones who misbehaved a little, and her affection for them was evident in her manner of teaching and stories she shared about the “goings-on” in her classroom and at school. Her fellow teachers at L.F. Addington Middle School she considered the best of friends. Even after retirement, Phyllis continued substitute teaching and tutoring as recently as last year through her home bound work with Lonesome Pine Office on Youth.

Phyllis’s love for her community was evident in her significant contributions to the arts, higher education and local events. She played an instrumental role in bringing the Pro-Art Association to Wise County. Her and Lu’s support for the Symphony of the Mountains and the Barter Theatre showcased their joint passion for the arts in the region. Her involvement in the Garden Club, the Wise Fall Fling planning and fundraising activities, and her enduring relationship with Clinch Valley College as an active member and former president of the alumni association and her support for The Poor Farm Society further reflected her love for her hometown.

Phyllis’s knack for hosting parties, special events and holiday gatherings was legendary among her family and friends, especially evident in the much-anticipated Super Bowl parties hosted by her and her former husband Jack Hatcher in the 1970s and 1980s, fun gatherings with dear friends and good food, often held with snow piling up outside.

Her role as a grandmother was one of the most cherished aspects of her life. Her grandchildren, who lovingly refer to her as “Ma”, were a source of great joy and pride. At Ma and Lu’s house, holidays and family gatherings were occasions filled with warmth, laughter, and the comforting aroma of her spectacular cooking. She could tackle a Baked Alaska as well as she could serve up the world’s best fried chicken, home-canned half runners, a never-to-be-replicated way with a tossed green salad, and scalloped potatoes that were anticipated by all.

She is survived by her loving husband, Lu Ellsworth, her son, Scott Hatcher of Nashville TN, her daughter Hunter Hatcher of Nashville and Jefferson City, TN and four grandchildren Alex Mcfall of Dandridge TN, Christian McFall of Nashville, TN, Evan McFall of Nashville TN and Ethan McFall of Ridgewood (Queens) NY, her four sisters and five brothers-in-law: Deloris Hill of Louisville, KY, Sylvia Gillespie and husband Earl Gillespie of Charlottesville VA, Glenda Skeen and husband Walter Crouse of Wise, brother-in-law George Gibson, the husband of her late sister Sarah Gibson of Kingsport, TN and Rosanna Hoit and husband Bob Hoit of Tampa FL.

She is pre-deceased by her sister Sarah Gibson, her husband of twenty-two years Jack Hatcher, and her parents Liz and Napoleon Parsons of Wise.

Phyllis Hatcher’s life was a journey of faith, family, and community. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered for the love she showered on those in her life with her delicious cooking, her eclectic and fabulous sense of style, her wit and her work ethic, her generous and gregarious spirit, and lastly and most important of all these things to her, her love for Jesus and a lifelong devotion to the Christian faith.

A Celebration of Phyllis’s Life will be held at 6:00 p.m. Friday, December 15, 2023 at the Sturgill Funeral Home Chapel in Wise, Va. The Family will receive friends from 3:00 p.m. till time of services at 6:00 p.m. Friday at the Sturgill Funeral Home in Wise, VA. Graveside services and burial will be private.

Please visit www.sturgillfuneral.com to leave online condolences for the family.

Sturgill Funeral Home 1621 Norton Road SW Wise, VA 24293 is in charge of arrangements.