Dr. Robert Hatch, Founder of Garrison Women's Health Center

Robert Phillips Hatch, M.D., age 83, retired Obstetrician Gynecologist, died at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, ME on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, following a lengthy illness. He was born May 1, 1926, in Woodstock, Connecticut, to the late Rev. David and Helen Hatch.

He attended public schools in Dover, New Hampshire and Fairfield, Connecticut and graduated from Phillips Academy Andover in 1944. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, training as a B-29 Remote Control Turret Mechanic Gunner, and was stationed at Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi, Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado, and at Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, Nevada. He received his B.A. from Amherst College in 1950, and his M.D. from Yale University School of Medicine in 1954. While at Yale he was united in marriage to Karolin M. Kihlander, on September 13, 1952 at the Westville, Connecticut Congregational Church.

After receiving his commission in the United States Army Medical Corps in 1954, he served a one year Rotating Internship and a three year Residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
Washington, D.C. During that period he attended a six month course at the Medical Field Service School at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. He then served a tour of duty at the 2 General Hospital, Landstuhl, Germany from January, 1959 through June, 1962, serving for a period as acting Chief, OB/GYN Service. While at Landstuhl, he supervised the training of German interns and residents, participated in field exercises and the training of a field surgical unit. In July, 1962, he received a certificate of achievement and honorable discharge from the United States Regular Army with the rank of Major.

Dr. Hatch was certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology; he was a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a member the American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists, various State and Local Medical Societies, and Associations. While in the Army Medical Corps, he was a member of the American Medical Society of Vienna, Austria, and the Association of Military Surgeons.

In July, 1962 Robert, Karolin and their four children moved to Robert’s childhood home, Dover, New Hampshire. There, as the first such specialist in town, he started a solo OB/GYN practice. Licensed to practice in New Hampshire and Maine, he was a member of the Wentworth Douglass Medical Staff, Dover, N.H. and a consulting member of the Frisbie Memorial Hospital Medical Staff, Rochester, N.H. He held various staff positions, including a term as Chief of the Obstetrical and Gynecological Service, Wentworth Douglass Hospital.

Over the years, he was joined by associates including Dr. William E. Cusack, Dr. Guy C. Marshall, Dr. John B. Gillespie, and Dr. Robert Leipold, as well as nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and a nutritionist. Robert was President of the group that incorporated as the Garrison Medical Professional Association. He and his associates created the Dover Prenatal Clinic, an effort that was largely spearheaded by Dr. Guy Marshall. The practice was the first in New Hampshire to employ nurse midwives, Judith Edwards, R.N., C.N.M, being the pioneer.

His forward-looking associates encouraged natural childbirth, childbirth education, Lamaze Training, and broke new ground by having husbands present and participating in the delivery room. The practice was the first in New Hampshire to utilize in-office fetal ultrasound, and instituted fetal monitoring on the Obstetrical Service. The practice introduced infertility surgery, culdoscopy and then laparoscopy to the Gynecology Service, as well as microsurgical gynecological techniques. During his professional career, he performed or supervised the delivery of approximately 5,000 babies. Dr. Hatch’s private practice spanned from 1962 until 1984 when he retired because of hypertrophic arthritis and spinal stenosis.

Robert, Karolin, and their children were past members of the First Parish Church, Congregational, Dover, NH., where he served a term as Deacon. He served several years as the Dover Pee Wee Football Physician. While residing in Alfred, Maine he served for a time as Town Health Officer and member of the Budget Committee. As Secretary, Alfred Comprehensive Planning Committee, he wrote the major part of the Alfred Comprehensive plan that was adopted in 1990. He was a one time delegate to the State Republican Convention. For sixteen years, he was a volunteer weather observer for Joe Cupo, Channel 6, WCSH TV.

Recently, he wrote a 260 page illustrated Fiftieth Reunion Album for the Yale University School of Medicine Reunion, Class of 1954.

After the death of his wife Karolin in 1992, he married Mary Louise Breckenridge Oaks, on October 4, 1996. Mary is the widow of Dr. Donald Oaks of Dover. Robert and Mary designed their retirement home in Kennebunk, Maine where they enjoyed their comfortable home, visits from family members and friends, the friendship of good neighbors, gardening, landscaping, snow removal, and traveling together - a highlight being three weeks in Germany and Switzerland in 1991.

Robert’s interests included family-oriented activities, gardening, orchard care, farm animals, wood lot management, energy conservation, building design and construction, fishing and hunting. A sports enthusiast, he was a fan of the Red Sox, Celtics, and the New England Patriots. With the help of Karolin and their children, he constructed a camp on Moosehead Lake in 1972. The camp became a four season family retreat that generated a lifetime of memories. Robert’s other interests were his personal library, reading, especially history and biography, classical music, computer and internet, photography, meteorology, family history and genealogy. His last days were devoted to writing down memories for his children.

Robert is survived by his wife, Mary; his daughter and her husband, Louise and William J. Belanger, Jr., Alfred, ME, his son and his wife Douglas and Anita, Maryville, TN; his son David, Tok, AK; his daughter Susan, widow of Alan Dupuis, Waterboro, ME; eight grandchildren, Kristine (Donald) Candage, Alfred, ME; William Belanger, New Durham, NH, Leanne, Alfred, ME, Jennifer and Megan Dupuis, Waterboro, ME, Adam, Emily, and Carter Hatch, Maryville, TN, and one sister, Sylvia (Mealand), Cornwall, PA. He is further survived by nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, John, one sister, Dorothy (Davis), and an infant brother, David.

Memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, December 12, 2009 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer Street, Kennebunk, Maine. A Memorial Service for Dr. Hatch will be held on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at Christ Church, 6 Dane Street, Kennebunk, ME. The Rev. Stephen L. Hastings will officiate. A Graveside service will be held for family and local friends at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 14, 2009 at Riverdale Cemetery, Danbury, NH, after which the family and friends will gather for a buffet luncheon at the Inn At Danbury, 67 Route 104.

In lieu of flowers, friends and relatives are encouraged to make a memorial donation in Robert’s memory to: Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, co/ Hospice of Southern Maine, 180 US Route One # 1, Scarborough, Maine 04074.