Phale D. Hale Sr.

HALE SR. The Rev. Dr. Phale D. Hale, Sr. the Pastor of Union Grove Baptist Church, 266 N. Champion Ave. in Columbus, Oh. Dr. Hale served 14 years as a member of The Ohio House of Representatives (1966-1980). While in the Ohio House, he served as Chairman of the Committee of Human Resources for eight years. He served five years as Chairman of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (1983-1988). Dr. Hale earned his bachelor's degree at Morehouse College and his master's degree at the Interdenominational Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Ga. He received two honorary doctorate degrees. Dr. Hale was the sixth of twelve children of sharecropper p arents in Greenwood, Miss., where he spent his early years before hoboing to Buffalo, N.Y. From a very humble beginning, Rev. Hale worked against the odds to get an education, support his family, raise and educate his children and help the people in his community and in this country. He has demonstrated in many ways his sincere interest in the welfare of the church and community. He was one of the leaders who continued to fight for equality and justice in Columbus and throughout this country. With courageous determination, Rev. Hale strived for a better life for all people. Though known as a pioneer in many fields of public service, his greatest devotions were to those of low income for whom he zealously worked to avail better housing at an affordable price; he worked to upgrade the educational opportunities so that people can obtain better jobs, thus fostering a higher standard of living. Dr. Hale motivated people to seek the spiritual life by leading them to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith and the provider of all of our needs. Dr. Hale was one of the outstanding personalities in pioneering, developing job opportunities and motivating community participation on the behalf of those who graduate from school and seek jobs through such vehicles as the NAACP (of which he served as president for many years). During that time he put the first Black teller in the banks of Columbus, Oh. He put the first Black Highway Patrolman on the highways of the State of Ohio. He served as president of Columbus Operation Push and was presently a member of the National Board of Operation Push, which was founded by Rev. Jesse Jackson, a personal friend of Dr. Hale. He was responsible for the first Black Professor being appointed on the faculty at Ohio State University. Dr. Hale was one of the founders of CMACAO and served many years as president of the board and he was one of the founders of the Black Elected Democrats of Ohio and served 14 years as the First Vice President. He served as board member of ECCO Health Center, Mid-Ohio Health Planning Federation, Goodwill Industries, Ohio Council of Churches, Director of the Social Action Commission of the Ohio Baptist General Convention and a member of the Regional Board of the National Education Association. He is listed in the books, BLACK FACES IN HIGH PLACES, also WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA, WHO'S WHO IN POLITICS and was made honorary citizen of Miami, Fla. and New Orleans, La. He has received 102 plaques and certificates of achievements and awards. He has travelled, spoken and preached in most of the states in the United States. He was married and the father of four children, all of whom have achieved excellence in education. God continued to bless Dr. Hale as he sought to share these blessings with others. Survived by his wife of 65 years, Cleo Marion Ingram Hale; children, Phale, Jr., Janice, Ph.D., Marna Amoretti and Hilton Ingram Hale; grandchildren, Richard Pace, Jr., Keith A. Benson; foster grandchildren, Deante and Deandre George; sisters, Juanita Harris, Anne Moorman; nephews, Ralph Grier, Wesley Hale and Christopher Hale; cousins, Layden Hale, Layden Hale III, Amber Hale, Joshua Hale, Karen Andrea Hale and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Rev. Hale will lie in state at the Union Grove Baptist Church, 266 N. Champion Ave. on Friday, June 5, 2009 from 12Noon until the time the family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Service of Memory, Saturday at 12Noon at the church, where the doors will open at 9 a.m. Dr. Hale gave his life in service to others. Because he had difficulty in financing his education, he requested that no flowers be displayed at the service of memory. Persons desiring to make a contribution are asked to give to the Phale D. Hale, Sr. Scholarship Fund. Contributions can be made at any Huntington National Bank, or c/o Huntington National Bank-Eastmoor Banking Office, 3003 E. Main St., Columbus, Oh. 43209. Entombment Green Lawn Cemetery. Arrangements by C. D. WHITE & SON FUNERAL HOME, 1217 Mt. Vernon Ave.