Robert A. Hattaway
May 16, 1930 ~ April 7, 2024
Born in:
Greensboro, NC
Resided in:
Great Falls, VA
On Saturday, April 6, 2024, Robert Avera Hattaway Sr., devoted husband and hard-working father of six children, passed away at the age of 94.
Born on May 16, 1930 in Greensboro, NC to Alexander Clovis Hattaway and Libbye (Johnson) Hattaway, Bob was the youngest of four sons. He attended the Darlington School for Boys in Rome, GA and briefly attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1950, he met the love of his life, Janet Gaynor Bondurant and they married shortly afterwards. Bob had a successful life long career in sales due in great part to his friendly, good natured personality.
After the loss of his beloved wife of 52 years in 2003, Bob lived in Florida and spent his last days in Virginia. He was an avid fisherman, loved playing games, especially bingo, and never got his fill of ice cream.
He is survived by five of his children, Robert Avera Hattaway Jr., of Calistoga, California; Melissa M. Hattaway, Reston, Virginia, Libbye M. Hattaway of Clearwater, Florida, Janna L. Hattaway, of Great Falls, Virginia, and William Timothy Hattaway of Clearwater, Florida, along with eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.
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Fernanda
The Bird Caller
He’s been there
For as long as I can remember
The Bird Caller
Hands lovingly cupped
Always for the youngest among us
The Bird Caller
Naturally selected
For his height and dashing looks
The Bird Caller
Flew from a nest
Built by oppressive drive and willful neglect
The Bird Caller
Migrated to a new life built with hard work
Always providing
The Bird Caller
Often overwhelmed
By the wild side of life, so many vices
The Bird Caller
Each evening inebriated by fermented fruit
Only to reach the worm by morning
The Bird Caller
Obsessed, dependent, and fully devoted
To his mate
The Bird Caller
Dazed and confused
When the circle of life took the hen
The Bird Caller
Wings flapped, flitted, and searched
Hither and yon
The Bird Caller
Aimlessly lost
Wading in the surf for the catch of yester year
The Bird Caller
The way forward now blocked
As celestial cues no longer serve
The Bird Caller
In his twilight, what little remains
Comes forth at the sight of a child
The Bird Caller
Lovingly cupping his hands
and blowing his song
The Bird Caller
Oakadia Drive. Safe haven for all the misfit kids (and normal ones too). I would save up my babysitting money to get a train ticket out of my podunk provincial town to Clearwater every chance I got. You could walk through the front door to acceptance, hilarity and more reading material than this high school girl had ever seen. Most kids got a nickname (Big Jim, Little Jim, I was T-Dot) I can safely say I would not be the person I am today without the love and acceptance and reading material from Mr and Mrs H and getting some residual hipness from Bobby and Melissa. I can still remember when I was puzzled by all the happy young men in the classifieds of the Village Voice and Melissa and Bobby rolling on the floor explaining to me what gay meant.
The patriarch is now gone, an era is gone, but I, and I am sure, all the marginalized kids will never forget that wonderful place and the special way it made you feel.
Rest in peace RAH. Life well lived.
Deborah
How sweet Deborah, thank you for sharing this.