Dr. Shirley Jean Hatchett Ph.D.

HATCHETT, Ph.D., Dr. Shirley Jean - Age 77, passed away Friday, August 9, 2024 at Regency of Grand Blanc. Family hour 10:00 AM Monday, August 19, 2024 at Saints of God Church, 2200 Forest Hill Ave., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM. Pastor Alfred L. Harris Sr., officiating. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10:00 AM Monday. Dr. Hatchett will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sunday. Dr. Shirley Jean Hatchett, Ph.D., went home to be with the Lord, August 9, 2024. Born May 6, 1947, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, the cherished daughter of the late James and Marie (Suttlar) Hatchett. At an early age, Dr. Hatchett accepted Christ as her personal Savior and was baptized by Rev. Ira Watkins at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Flint, Michigan. Dr. Hatchett’s journey in education began in Flint, MI, where she attended Dewey Elementary School, Emerson Junior High School, and graduated from Flint Northern High School. Her passion for learning led her to the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, where she earned her Doctorate in Sociology. Throughout her life, she firmly believed that education was the key to unlocking one’s potential and making a meaningful difference in the world. Beyond her professional achievements, she loved planting flowers, collecting turtle figurines, and watching science fiction (with Star Wars being a particular favorite). She was deeply connected to her African heritage, which she explored through several visits to Africa. As the family historian, she cherished her role in preserving and celebrating her family’s rich history. Her professional career was as diverse as it was impactful. She served as one of the Directors of the Junior Urban League of Flint, MI, and worked as a Newspaper Reporter at The Milwaukee Journal Company in Milwaukee, WI. While working as a research investigator for the Institute of Social Research, in Ann Arbor, MI she created an entirely new national sample of Black households for a major study. She also co-authored several influential books, including Hope & Independence – Black’s Response to Electoral and Party Politics and Marital Instability: A Social and Behavioral Study of the Early Years. Dr. Hatchett’s academic contributions while affiliated with the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor include significant research on family dynamics, social support systems, and political socialization within African American communities. After over 20 years of dedicated service as an associate professor of Sociology, Dr. Hatchett retired from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her contributions to the field of sociology, particularly in understanding the African American experience, have left an indelible mark on academia. Dr. Shirley Jean Hatchett, leaves behind a loving family to cherish her memory: her four sisters, Jacquelin Hatchett of Flushing, MI, Cheryl (Gregory) Davis of Columbus, GA, Linda McCain (Eugene McIntyre) of Flint, MI and Valerie Lee of Fairfield, OH. She is also survived by five nieces, three nephews, a host of great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, and friends, including her dearest friends, Letha Chadiha and James Owensby. Dr. Hatchett was preceded in death by her beloved parents, James and Marie Hatchett. The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the staff of Regency At Grand Blanc, cousins Eddie Lee and Tamara Sanders, family friend of many years Patricia Luckett, special nieces Kimberly Rushing and Michelle Johnson, very special sister and care-giver Jacquelin Hatchett, Pastor Alfred L. Harris, Sr., First Lady Denise Harris, and the Saints of God Church family.

Dr. Shirley Jean Hatchett Ph.D.

May 6, 1947 - August 9, 2024