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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
Alto Community and friends of the Hatches on the street of Alto. A majority of those in this photo are recipients of CDs and gifts from the Hatches' fortune. None of them knew that the penny-pinching couple had a fortune of millions.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
The Hatches lived in this simple home. Nephew Mike Buehler and niece Quenda Story inherited the house and 80 acres of farmland.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
Mike Buehler in the driveway of the Hatches' Homestead. He is the nephew of the Hatches and brother of Quenda Story. Mike and Quenda had the responsibility of distributing their aunt and uncle's fortune to the people of Alto.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
Quenda Story in the living room of the Hatches.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
Steve, Joan and Kyle Vander Ziels on the back porch of the Hatches'. Steve would spend many hours sitting with Ish and Arlene on this porch talking.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
Sophie Fuss with grandfather, Paul Fuss who is cattle farmer with son Jerry Fuss. Paul's son Dave used to plow the Hatches' driveway in the winter.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
Kyle Vander Ziel with one of their chickens in the back yard of the Hatches. The Hatches were like grandparents to him.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
Sandra & Gilbert Van Weelden in their kitchen. Sandra and her family where very dear friends of the Hatches'. They traveled together and she took the Hatches to doctors' appointments. She was like the daughter they never had.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
Rev. Dean Bailey in the back pew of Alto United Methodist Church. This is the pew that the Hatch’s sat on Sunday services.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
The Vander Ziel family, Left to right- Melissa, Steve, Kyle on his shoulders, Joan, Andy on horse, Kelly and Amy on the ground. They visited with the Hatch’s nearly every day.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
This is the barn and silo used for the cattle raised by Willis Hatch.
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Photographed by Tamara Reynolds
Andy Vander Ziel, oldest son of Steve & Joan, neighbors of the Hatches. He along with his siblings would ride over to visit with the Hatch’s nearly everyday.
After reading this touching story, I think the people who knew the Hatches had already received the greatest gift, their friendship. God Bless Ish and Arlene, we should live by their example and this world would be a much greater place.
Ish and Arlene are the last of a dying breed. Seems we have lost those kind of folks in America. Their neighbors are the kind I would give any thing to be my neighbors. They look out for you and you look out for them. Seems we have lost that except in the farming country. Gosh, America sorely needs those folks. Just a thought!!
Since we are losing many of the farms that we used to have to land developers, and other things, I think that it would be a fantastic idea in looking into preserving their farm and making it a "teaching" farm... Perhaps the community could all come together, and make it like a special park to preserve the farm,not have to sell it, and then, have the general public visit and learn, about what actually goes on at a farm such as theirs! (You could keep the farm, still!) Just a thought!!