The final email I received from Joan, also known as Mrs. Hatton, was in April 2019. It was a response to my inquiry about meeting for coffee during my spring break. She regretfully informed me that she was too unwell to meet due to a lingering illness. Her resilience and lack of complaint despite her health struggles were characteristic of her nature.
During that period, I was a college student in Manhattan, visiting my family in Indiana sporadically. Whenever I returned to South Bend for a week, I made an effort to reconnect with the English teacher who had profoundly impacted my life in numerous ways.
Joan Hatton (1948-2024) was known for her tenure as an English teacher at Elkhart Memorial High School and Bais Yaakov High School in Mishawaka. However, her influence extended far beyond the classroom setting.
As one of the many students she taught over the years, I had the privilege of being under her guidance for five years, from seventh grade until graduation, with the exception of 10th grade. The brief period with a substitute teacher that year only highlighted how irreplaceable Mrs. Hatton was to us.
I wish I had the opportunity to express my gratitude to Mrs. Hatton for the profound impact she had on my life. Whenever phrases like “two roads diverged in a yellow wood,” “whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,” or “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times” cross my mind, I am transported back to the classroom where she breathed life into characters like Atticus Finch, Ophelia, and the boys in “Lord of the Flies.”
The meticulous analysis of literary works in our classroom felt like an exploration of the human psyche, fostering a deeper understanding of emotions and expressions. Mrs. Hatton’s emphasis on active verbs over passive ones resonates with me to this day, influencing my writing style and career path as a therapist.
Her unwavering support extended beyond academics, as she encouraged my writing endeavors outside the classroom. From editing my teenage poems to boosting my confidence, she played a pivotal role in shaping my journey.
Mrs. Hatton’s teaching style, reminiscent of “Dead Poets Society,” blended humor with wisdom, leaving a lasting impression on all of us. This tribute could never encompass the depth of her impact on our lives. We will always remember her fondly.