A Gainesville man who was well-known in the local Baptist community and was a co-founder of the Gainesville Baptist College & Seminary has died. Rev. James Bowman Hatcher passed away Thursday at the age of 86.
Rev. Hatcher also helped to establish Liberty Baptist Church in Lula in 1967, Camp Liberty Youth Camp in 1973, also in Lula, Hillcrest Baptist Church in 1986 and pastored there until his health began to decline. While pastoring, he was the Renovation Manager at Northeast Georgia Medical Center for 20 years. After retirement he was a volunteer chaplain at the hospital.
In 1991, he, along with Lewis Lord, founded Gainesville Baptist College and Seminary in Clermont where he served as President and which continues to thrive today.
The funeral was held Saturday.
You can read the full obituary here: Rev. James Bowman Hatcher Obituary (2026) – Gainesville, GA – Memorial Park Funeral Home North Riverside Chapel