William (Bill) McKinley Hatchett, age 77, of West Bloomfield, Mich., departed this life on February 12th, 2023.
Preceded in death by his parents, Frank Edmond Hatchett and Elsie (Wilson) Hatchett; and siblings, Katherine Hatchett- Ford, Florence Hatchett-Rollins, Frankie Hatchett-Ray, and Linda Hatchett.
Bill graduated from Harris High School in 1964. He attended college at the University of the Ozarks. He graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and became the first Black athlete to receive a full athletic scholarship at UALR in 1967.
Bill earned his Juris Doctor from the Wayne State University School of Law in 1973, and practiced law for 50 years at Hatchett, DeWalt, Hatchett law firm.
He is survived by his wife, Celeste; and daughters, Tameche Hatchett, Bonita Hatchett-Bodle and Jeffrey of Sealy, Texas; Krystal Hatchett and Karl Nauman of Houston, Texas, and Khari Hatchett of Oak Park, Mich. Bill is survived by one son, William McLaren Hatchett of Little Rock, Ark.; four grandchildren; and three sisters, Dr. Minnie Rose Hatchett and Gwendolyn Hatchett-Robinson of Little Rock, and Elsie L. McCormick of San Antonio, Texas; two brothers: Frank E. Hatchett Jr. of Dallas, Texas, and Theodore Hatchett of San Antonio, Texas, and a host of other relatives and friends.
Memorial services will be held at New Hope Baptist Church, located at 1821 Edmond St. in North Little Rock, Ark. 72117, on March 11th, 2023, at 1 p.m. Pastor Sandy Williams will be officiating.