William "Bill" Hatting, Jr.

    William (Bill) Hatting, Jr., 94, of Lexington, Nebraska, died Friday, January 19, 2018, at Brookdale in Lexington, Nebraska. Bill was born on February 20, 1923, to Emma (Foss) Hatting and William Hatting, Sr. on the family farm five miles south of Lexington. Bill attended elementary school at Dawson County Rural District #31. He graduated from Lexington High School in 1940. During the early 1940s, Bill competed in numerous rodeo events in Lexington. Bill married Marjorie Dodge on September 17, 1945, and they remained husband and wife for 68 years. Together they operated the family farm for 25 years raising Angus cattle and feeder hogs while growing corn and alfalfa. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Bill and Dave Jeffrey led the South Side 4-H Club of Dawson County. Also during the early 1960s, Bill was employed by the Lexington Co-Op as retail field man selling livestock feed and crop fertilizer to area farmers. Bill later sold livestock feed and seed independently throughout Dawson County and parts of Custer and Gosper Counties.   After selling his interest in the family farm to his brother, John, Bill managed the National Alfalfa Dehydrating Plant in Lexington. In 1970, Bill and Marjorie worked on the 20,000-acre Snover Ranch near Burwell caring for 1,800 head of Angus cattle. During the early and mid-1970s, they farmed and ranched in southeastern South Dakota and farmed in west-central Iowa. Between 1976 and 1981 Bill shipped Sperry New Holland combines all over the country from the plant south of Lexington. From 1975 to 1988 Bill intermittently supervised the custodial staff, maintained buildings and grounds, and drove busses to athletic events for Lexington Public Schools. Since 1988, when he retired, Bill has resided in Lexington.   Bill was preceded in death by spouse Marjorie (Dodge) Hatting, father William Sr., mother Emma, sisters Doris (Allen) Walker and Lucille (Ron) Ritterbush and brother John Lee Hatting. He is survived by son Steven and daughter-in-law Maurine (Thomas); grandchildren Michael (Katie) Hatting, Sarah (Aaron) Christison, and Eloise Hatting; great-grandchildren Samuel Christison, Abigail Hatting, Charlotte Hatting and Maxine Servaty; step great-grandchildren Zak Theiler, William Theiler, and Alex Theiler; five nieces and eight nephews.   Funeral Services will be Friday, January 26, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Lexington with Pastor Doug Smith, officiating.   Visitation will be one hour prior to the Funeral Service at the Church.   In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to either the First United Methodist Church of Lexington or the 4-H division of the Dawson County Extension Service.   Burial will be in Robb Cemetery south of Lexington.   Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences with the family by visiting: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com