Kameron Thomas Hale, 16, died Friday, Jan. 23, 2009, at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.
Kameron, born Jan. 18, 1993, in Hot Springs, was a sophomore at Lake Hamilton High School. Maroon and gold to the core, Kameron loved his classmates and teachers.
He was a true competitor on the water and on the field, playing on the school’s football, basketball and baseball teams. He loved to wakeboard and just spend time on the lake.
Kameron was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed anything related to hunting, particularly duck hunting. Kameron would walk 50 miles to chase a duck. He loved his hunting dog, Boomer.
For all of his love of competition, Kameron had great love in his heart for his family, his friends, and his school. He loved his coaches, teachers and his classmates, but would give the shirt off his back to any stranger. He was an instant friend of any person he met.
He taught his family lessons of love and kindness that will be remembered forever. He saw the good in everyone. Kameron was also a spiritual person, having accepted Christ at a Christian Retreat at Oaklawn Baptist Church. He was later baptized by Brother Rob Young.
Survivors are his parents, Dr. Kevin and Kim Hale, of Hot Springs; his sister, Kelsey Hale, of Hot Springs; his grandparents, "Nana and Da," Gordon and Charlotte Hale, of Arkadelphia, and Dr. Neill and Jeweldean Treece of Fort Smith; two great-grandmothers, Eddith Thomas and Jo Treece; uncles and aunts, including Randy and Michelle Reichardt of Batesville, Kevin and Sharon Treece of Fort Smith, and John and Kimberly Payne of Benton; cousins, Kyle and Keeley Treece, and Seth, of Fort Smith, Bailey Bruce of Batesville, and Kayla, Kolby and Kyle Payne of Benton; and many other family members.
Services will be at The Church at Crossgate Center at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday with Brother Rob Young and Dr. Chuck McAlister, senior pastor, officiating.
Burial will be at Bear Creek Cemetery in Evening Shade, Ark., beside his great-grandfather, Sam Thomas, under the direction of Davis-Smith Funeral Home of Hot Springs.
Pallbearers will be Tiger Jordan, Kim French, Derek Barton, Sanders Roark, Matt Killian and Jesse Elliott.
Honorary pallbearers are the Arkansas Angels baseball teams, the Arkansas Wings, his teammates on the Lake Hamilton football, baseball and basketball teams, his classmates, and his "best bud," Roy Lee Hurst.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for contributions to the Kamo’s Kids fund at Summit Bank, which will go to benefit students who need backpacks, sporting equipment and other needs.
The family would like to express its sincere thanks to Lake Hamilton School District and the Lake Hamilton community for their support and prayers.
The family also wishes to extend thanks to the Garland County Sheriff’s Department, LifeNet, the first responders of the 70 West Fire Department, the many doctors and nurses of St. Joseph’s Mercy Health Center, including Drs. Karl Wagenhauser, Jim Arthur, and Christian Latham, Angel One and the staff of the PICU at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Stephen Schexnayder.
The family also wishes to thank the Lake Hamilton community for the tremendous outpouring of support it has shown, and to thank Hamilton West Family Medicine and Dr. Hale’s partners for their support during this difficult time.
Guest registry is at www.davis-smith.com
