Paulette Hatmaker Obituary

Paulette Louise Villeneuve Hatmaker, age 91, December 3, in Wheaton, Illinois. Loving wife of the late Clarence G. "Ted" Hatmaker, beloved mother of Patricia Joseph, J. E. "Ted" (Debbie) Hatmaker, Jean Sander and Nancy (Bill) Ristau, dear grandmother to Kate Hatmaker, Anne Delgado, Jean Hatmaker, Benn Joseph and Julie Sandine, great-grandmother to Sophie Joseph and Sean Sandine. Born on June 6, 1920, in Auvillers-les-Forges, France, Paulette grew up in Paris, where she worked from ages 12 to 24 at the Chatelet Theatre as a seamstress, makeup artist, chorus singer (occasionally under the direction of Michel LeGrand), dancer and supernumerary actress. In addition, she worked as a hat check girl in a Pigalle nightclub, where she became an acquaintance of jazz legends Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grapelli and Edith Piaf. She was an extra in movies with actor/singer Georges Gu‚tary. After the allied forces liberated Paris, Paulette became a telephone operator for the OSS, where she met U.S. Army Captain C.G. Hatmaker. He impressed her enough to follow him over to America to be his bride after the war ended. The newlywed couple lived in Alexandria, Virginia, where, with another couple, co-founded the local newspaper, The Springfield Independent. After moving to Downers Grove, Illinois, Paulette earned a GED, a B.A. in French from Elmhurst College, and M.A. and ABD in French Literature from Northwestern University. Paulette was Assistant Professor of French at Elmhurst College from 1966-1987 and was subsequently awarded Professor Emerita status. Paulette loved music and being surrounded by her children and grandchildren making music. She was especially passionate about the music of the Beatles and often employed their music in her French classes. Private interment; a celebration of her life will be announced at a later date. Memorials may be made to Elmhurst College Department of World Languages.