On April 15, 2026, Randell Wayne Hatch died at his home in Hessel, Michigan. He was 75 years old. The news traveled to Leslie, to Ypsilanti, to the small towns where he had lived and worked. People who knew him used the same words. Reliable. Kind. Steady.
Randell was raised in Ypsilanti and Leslie. 1968 saw him graduate from Willow Run High School. Many of his classmates left for college or the military that same year. He left for his job. He started working for Michigan Bell, which subsequently changed its name to Ameritech. He remained for several years.
His job was not glamorous. He climbed poles. He ran cables. He fixed phones when they broke. Customers appreciated him because he showed up when promised. Colleagues appreciated him because he shared credit and never complained. When he retired, the phone company lost someone who knew its systems from the ground up.
He also belonged to Eagles Club #2250 in Ypsilanti. That club gave him a second family. He worked service projects. He attended events. He laughed with friends who knew him outside of his uniform.
When he was not working or volunteering, Randell was outside. He hunted most wild game. He fished. He played golf. In his younger years, he swung a bat in softball games and threw horseshoes at picnics. He rooted for the Detroit Lions and the University of Michigan Wolverines. Autumn Sundays found him in front of a television, yelling at bad calls.
But his deepest joy came from his grandchildren. He took them fishing. He taught them to swing a club. He told stories about the deer he tracked and the lakes he had crossed. They listened because he did not lecture. He invited them into his world.
Randell leaves behind his family. He also leaves behind a record of steady work, club service, and outdoor memories. Hessel, Leslie, and Ypsilanti are now connected by more than geography. They share the loss of a man who lived quietly but mattered deeply.
