Joel Hatfield
(July 8, 1967 - April 25, 2014)

Joel Thomas Hatfield, 46, loving son of Don and Sandy Hatfield of Huntington, WV, died early Friday morning, April 25, 2014, after a brief illness. He was born in Huntington July 8, 1967. He graduated from Huntington High School, then joined his late brother John Christopher (Chris) in Boston where he attended the Berklee College of Music and Northeastern University. He returned to Huntington and graduated from Marshall University and later attended the West Virginia University College of Law. Joel was an accomplished musician and teacher, specializing in violin as well as performing on and teaching other stringed instruments. He taught students privately as well as at a Montessori school in Tucson, AZ and the Renaissance Center in Huntington. While in Boston he was employed by the Boston Opera Company and assisted in productions at several Boston venues including the Wang Center. Over his career, he performed in pit orchestras for musical plays, for concert orchestras including the Marshall University Orchestra, and in rock bands. He also wrote and produced music, at one time being a partner in a recording studio in Boston. He shared his love of music with his late brother Chris Hatfield, who passed away less than three months ago. Joel spoke, played and sang some of his brother's favorite songs during the service. Joel was a great reader of histories, biographies, and autobiographies, some of which he read as many as three times each. . He was rarely without a book. He also loved to travel and was inspired by his favorite book, Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror," to visit the small town of Coucy, France and the ruins of its 11th Century castle with his brother and parents. He loved to travel, and visited France and England several times as well as Italy, Spain and Switzerland. He had hoped to revisit France and England with his parents this summer. But the most important thing in Joel's life was family. He cared for his brother during his illness and helped his parents, shopping and preparing meals. His love for them and his kindness toward them was extraordinary, as was theirs for him. His wonderful sense of humor, his quick wit, his challenging conversations—always ready for debate—made him a joy to be with for friends and family alike. He is survived by his parents, an aunt, Tomasina Michel and her husband Jim of Barboursville, another aunt, Shirley Lusk and her husband Frank of Westbrook, Conn., a cousin, Lesley Byrne and her husband Michael and children Emily and Meghan of Glastonbury, Conn. He was preceded in death by a sister, Lisa, his brother Chris, his maternal grandparents, Sue and Sandy Soto of Beckley, and his paternal grandparents, Howard and LaUna Hatfield of Huntington. A visitation will be held at Klingel Carpenter Mortuary Wednesday, April 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held Thursday, May 1, at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1015 5th Ave.