Marion B. “Sarge” Hatley Jr. passed away peacefully on June 1, 2024 at his home in Umatilla at the age of 90 .
Marion, also known to loved ones as Sarge, M.B., Honey, Dad, Grandpa and Papa, was born on Aug. 28, 1933 in Wasco to Marion Bert Hatley Sr. and Ilene Mary Johnson Hatley. He was number six of their seven children.
After growing up in Wasco, Marion was a pin setter at the bowling alley in The Dalles. He then joined the U.S. Army and served as a military police sergeant for three years. He planned on becoming an Oregon State Police officer, but while waiting for the next academy he was hired by Union Pacific Railroad, where he continued to work as a communications districtman for nearly 40 years. This is where he earned the nickname Sarge because he wore his old army shirts as work shirts. He truly enjoyed his career and traveled all over the Northwest. He made many lifelong friends through the railroad.
Marion married his wife Charlene “Charlie” Lease Hatley on June 13, 1959; they would have been married 65 years this month. Marion and Charlie raised three children together, and after their retirement they spent time together traveling in their RV from Alaska to Arizona many times. They loved to play blackjack, poker and slot machines, and they hosted many card games in their Hermiston home that they had lived in since 1974. They also made many trips to Nevada, and Wildhorse Casino was one of their favorite spots. Camping in the Blue Mountains was one of their favorite things, as well. Marion was a great hunter and fisherman. Marion was a strong and talented man who could repair or remodel anything, no matter what it was. He had the greatest positive and caring attitude and was always very giving. His sense of humor topped all; he was always joking and playing practical jokes on people. Even when his health was failing, if you asked him how he was doing, he was always “great” or “super.” Right until he passed, Marion enjoyed regularly visiting his wife Charlie
where she lives in a care home. Marion spent the last year of his life living with his daughter and her husband in Umatilla.
He is survived by his wife, Charlie Hatley and their three children, Dean Hatley and his wife Kathy, La Grande, Roxane Broadbent, Boardman, and Mary Cahill and her husband Scott, Umatilla; sister, Judy White of The Dalles; niece, Sharon Brock (who is like a sister to him) and her husband Gene, Hermiston; grandchildren, Jacob and his wife Hannah, Burns, Austin Hatley and his wife Julie, La Grande, Kelly Beehler, Yakima, Wash., Caleb Beehler, Hermiston, Kiefer Broadbent, Hermiston, Alyssa and her husband Chuck, Pilot Rock, Keara and her husband Albert, Hermiston, Kenzie MacKenzie and her husband Gordon, Umatilla, Forrest Cahill, Umatilla, and Cameron Cahill, Plano, Texas; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter.
Per Marion’s wishes, there will be no service. He and his wife would like family to spread their ashes together at a later date in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon. He would probably say to just go out and enjoy some fishing today and think of him.
Please share memories of Sarge with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
