Donald G. Hatcher would step to the podium to address the mayor, members of Richmond City Council, the School Board or officials at other city meetings and one could sense the representatives’ trepidation.

They knew, more often than not, that Mr. Hatcher, the quick- witted, sharp-tongued social activist, was about to give them an earful.

Whether it was expressing outrage over the lack of access for ordinary citizens to public officials, public policies with discriminatory effects or the neglect of homeless people or African-American veterans, Mr. Hatcher did not mince words.

“There’s something wrong with this city,” was his trademark line, as documented in a Free Press Personality feature on Mr. Hatcher in the Oct. 2-4, 1997, edition.

On occasion, Mr. Hatcher was rebuked by City Council. He was evicted from time to time and once was arrested and charged with trespassing at a City Council meeting.

He earned the respect of many of those with whom he faced off, including Kathy C. Graziano, a former council president and current 4th District representative.

“He was a watchdog on the city and City Council and was a regular at all the meetings,” she said. “ He was always very sincere and I felt he was pretty respectful, even though he would be disagreeing with you.”

“He did not hold back what he had to say to anybody,” his daughter, Norita Hatcher, said. “He was blunt and told it like it was.

“He got tired of being treated the way this country treats black people, and he said somebody had to step up and fight to help people get treated better. He would say, ‘If you don’t fight, who will?’ ’’

For more than 25 years, Mr. Hatcher took the people’s fight to City Hall, the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center and other venues to seek social justice.

“There are a lot of people who are afraid to stand up and speak up for themselves for fear of repercussion,” his daughter said. “My father was not one of them.”

Mr. Hatcher is being remembered following his death Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, in Richmond. He was 75.

His life will be celebrated at a funeral 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Joseph Jenkins Jr. Funeral Home, 2011 Grayland Ave., in the West End.

A wake will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, at the funeral home.

Mr. Hatcher was born Dec. 26, 1939, at St. Philip’s, which was an all-black hospital in Richmond’s segregated medical system.

He served two years in the Army and was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant in 1959.

Mr. Hatcher and his wife, Gwendolyn Harris Hatcher, were married April 13, 1962, and raised their daughters, Norita Hatcher, Valerie D. Hatcher, Rondalynn Hatcher-Ali and Suzette Hatcher- Davis; son, Gordon R. Hatcher; and Mr. Hatcher’s stepson, Byron L. Harris. Mrs. Hatcher died in 1990.

Mr. Hatcher worked hard to provide for his family. He was a house painter, carpenter, roofer and did demolition work. “He could fix anything,” his daughter said.

In his spare time, he loved to “collect anything,” Ms. Hatcher said, including coins and old money.

In addition to his lobbying efforts at City Hall, he hosted a cable TV show called “The Agitator,” she added.

Mr. Hatcher is survived by his daughters, son, stepson and a host of other relatives and friends.