Ann Darger Hatch
Ann Darger Hatch died at home surrounded by her children on August 19, 2026, following a 15-year battle with cancer and its effects. No flags flew at half-mast, but our lives have changed and we’ve lost something precious. Ann was uniquely able to connect with those around her, even when her health kept her homebound. She spent more nights in the hospital than at home in 2026 and quietly set out to befriend everyone who came into her room. She always learned people’s names, as well as their interests and passions, whether they visited in a personal or a professional capacity. Occasionally, nurses took their lunch breaks visiting with her. She was an enthusiastic listener and learner about people.
Ann was born February 6, 1952, in Salt Lake City to Stanford P. and Arlene Barlow Darger. The third of five children, she had an idyllic childhood full of singing, family trips, laughter, and all the dance, piano, and vocal lessons she desired.
Ann graduated from East High School. She attended Mills College, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Utah. She did graduate work at Columbia Teachers College in New York City. She loved serving in the Argentina Córdoba mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from 1973 to 1974.
Ann married her high school sweetheart, Randall Clinton Hatch, in the Salt Lake LDS temple in 1975. President Thomas S. Monson performed the ceremony. That began a wonderful, unpredictable, loving, and frequently hilarious life. When a Sunday School lesson on the prophet Job occurred, they would spend the day fielding loving calls and texts from friends and family who just happened to think of them.
There were definite similarities to Job. She faced a house fire, repeated tumors and other serious health problems in the family, the birth of a son with Down syndrome (which has been nothing but a profound blessing once she recovered from the surprise), job losses, 25 years of her husband’s disability following his brain tumor, and her own battle with cancer and its post-treatment effects. But Ann met these with great good humor, gratitude, and a profound faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The family continues to face crises with a dark humor which they find greatly entertaining, and others find a little unsettling.
Ann loved to read, both for pleasure and in pursuit of better understanding of the Gospel. Before her health crashed, she also loved to travel and bake. Luckily, she received almost as much enjoyment from “fantasy travel” as from actual trips and planned many elaborate trips she knew she would never take.
Her life was divided neatly into two parts. The first was her married life in Ogden, where Randy held various posts at the Ogden Standard Examiner, including Editor and Publisher. They had a crazy, full house of six children, and she was able to do a lot of volunteer work in the community, including serving on the Ogden Ballet-Symphony Executive Committee, the charter Board of Directors for the Treehouse Children’s Museum, and the Board of the McKay-Dee Hospital Foundation. She helped found the Ogden School District gifted program (EQUIP).
After Randy’s brain tumor, there were moves, financial struggles, and grief. This period lasted for many years and included her care for Randy as he declined and her determination to make the best life possible for her children. She faced these difficult situations with undiminished grace, optimism, and humor, and was so grateful for the kindness and generosity of family and friends.
Ann gave her heart to the Savior and developed an unshakeable testimony in His restored Gospel while studying the New Testament for a comparative religion class in her first year of college; her love for Him and His gospel was the most important thing in her life. Her love for her six incredible children, five beloved children-in-law, and twelve beautiful grandchildren (her “Hatchlings”) was a very close second.
Ann is survived by her children Sarah Hatch Pollard (Jacob), George (Raiha Chase), William (Julia Parker), Spencer (Minnie), Robert (Kelli Stout), and Thomas, and grandchildren Annie (Connor Martin), Perrin, Frankie (Sebastian Vazquez), Artemis, Zion, Zealand, Zayden, Harrison, Evangeline, Miles, Apollo, and Beatrice. She is also survived by all of her siblings and siblings-in-law, whom she adored: Stan (Anne Carroll Peterson) Darger, Jan Denali, Jane (Matthew) Thomas, and John (Constanza Cruz) Darger. She leaves many beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and good friends. She was preceded in death by her parents as well as her husband, Randy.
Our overwhelming gratitude goes to the many caregivers and helpers who have worked so heroically to support her and her family over the last years. There is no way to mention everyone who has helped, but we want to especially acknowledge the staff of Inspiration Home Health and Hospice, particularly CNA Heather, physical therapists Afshin and Dayna, and nurses Melissa, Britnee, Jody, Lori, and Sierra; the staff of IMC Hospital, especially the ED, IR, Internal Medicine, and ID teams, and the nurses, techs, therapists, and housekeepers on T8 and T9; Drs. Stephen Lynch, Kevin Jansen, Mark Dodson, and Robert Price; and the staff at Imber, Tom’s loving day program, especially Beth, Lindsay, Lizzy, and Amy. There are no words to express our appreciation and love for these exceptional people and all the others who have helped along the way.
Friends and family may call on Friday, September 11, from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Evergreen Wardhouse, 2125 E. Evergreen Ave, Salt Lake City, or 10 a.m September 12. The funeral will be on Saturday, September 12, at 11 a.m. at the same location.
Instead of flowers, Ann would have been pleased with a contribution to the Humanitarian Aid Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or a contribution to Tom’s ABLE account to help with his future expenses (https://tinyurl.com/TomHatchABLE or contact Rob at hatch.robert@gmail.com).