LAKE BROWNWOOD - Raymond Gilbert 'Bill' Hale, 93 of Lake Brownwood, died Aug. 26, 2023, peacefully at his home surrounded by his family. Family will host a visitation from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 1 at Heartland Funeral Home in Early. Funeral Services will be at 10 a.m. Sept. 2, at Heartland Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow at the Blake Cemetery located in Northwest Brown County in the old Williams Community.
Bill was born South of Loraine, on Oct. 16, 1929, in the Bowman Community. He was the fourth child of Charlie and Nettie Pace Hale. He moved to Martin County, Stanton, with his family in November 1937 to the Badgett Community. He helped farm while attending the small Badgett School and later attended Courtney High School. He graduated in 1946 and moved to Midland. He worked in construction for several years.
He married Juanita Chick of Rising Star, on Oct. 29, 1948 in Midland. He was drafted into the U.S. Army on Feb. 26, 1952, and served his country for two years during the Korean War plus six years in the reserves, receiving a honorable discharge in 1960.
He attended Odessa Junior College and later went to work for Union Oil Company of California in the oil and gas accounting department in Midland, for 30 years, retiring in 1987.
He is survived by two children Sharon Wagner, and Stacy Hale and wife Brenda; grandchildren Melissa Bertoldi and husband Tony, Thomas Wagner, Jay Nelson, Sandi Nelson, and Robin Nelson; five great grandchildren Giovanni Bertoldi, Alex Nelson, Evan Nelson, Alison Doughman, and Evelyn Doughman. He is also survived by sister Betty Crocker and husband Sonny; brothers,Doyle Hale, Kenneth Hale and wife Bobbie; sister-in-laws Flow Hale and Sylvia Hale; many cousins, nieces, nephews, and a host of friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents Charlie and Nettie Hale; sisters Averill Badgett and husband Hester, Bernice Vannoy and husband Dave, Jean Ann Padgett and husband, J. W., Maime McFar and husband Bruce, Lura Davis and husband Dave; sister-in-law Clarice Hale; brothers Hubert Hale and Charles Hale; brother-in-law Sonny Crocker.
He was a member of the Baptist Church, loved hunting, fishing and the outdoors. He loved to dance to most all music especially country and Cajun with lots of fiddle. He said that it made him feel young.