Ronald P. Hatcher, a staff writer, copy and features editor with Pacific Stars and Stripes from 1977-82, died last Thursday in Indianapolis. He was 60.

Cause of death was not immediately known; he had been battling intestinal cancer in his later years.

Hatcher, a retired Army master sergeant, served as a journalist and journalism instructor for 23 years, including his time at Stripes.

His Stripes duties included stints as the Japan and Korea news bureau chief and on the Tokyo desk.

Hatcher later worked as a freelance sports writer for the Anderson Herald in Indiana, and for the last eight years was a systems analyst with Eli Lilly & Co., a global pharmaceutical company based in Indianapolis.

Hatcher is survived by his wife of 39 years, Toshiko; his children, Emiko Kreklau and Ryan Hatcher; his grandchildren Keiko and Curtis Kreklau III; his brothers Ralph, Randy, Roger, Rex and Ragan Hatcher and sister, Lisa Sato.

A service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at Servants of Christ Lutheran Church, 7650 Oaklandon Road, Indianapolis. Burial will be later at the Camp Butler Cemetery in Hatcher’s hometown of Springfield, Ill., where he was born Dec. 11, 1947.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Lilly Foundation, (317) 428-1130 or lillygrants@ksmcfs.com, or the Indiana University Cancer Center, http://cancer.iu.edu.

Red Cross is on the lookout for lifeguardsCAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The American Red Cross is looking for lifeguards.

Candidates must be at least 15 years old, able to swim 300 meters without stopping and complete a timed swim test.

A free lifeguard course will be held July 7-11 at Camp Courtney from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 645-7554 or 645-3180 to register.

The Red Cross also is looking for volunteers and will hold an orientation July 9 at 9 a.m. and another July 23 at 1 p.m. at building 5674 on Camp Foster. For more information, call 645-3800

VFW hosts drawing for July 4 convention tripVeterans of Foreign Wars is hosting an Independence Day drawing for servicemembers who have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Two active-duty servicemembers will win a trip to Orlando, Fla., for the VFW National Convention, Aug. 16-21.

Entries will be drawn during the July 4 celebration at U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan.

Airfare, a five-night hotel stay and per diem will be provided, according to a VFW announcement.

Entries can be sent via e-mail to cdrdpa@vfwdeptpacific.org and must include, name, rank, branch of service, a phone number with country code, mailing address and an e-mail address.

Applicants must show proof of service in Iraq or Afghanistan and submit a statement written by their commander that authorizes their absence to attend the convention.

The deadline to register is July 3 at noon. For more information, e-mail cdrdpa@vfwdeptpacific.org.

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