Reuben HALE

1927 - 2018

Reuben Hale, 90, sculptor and artist, died on Friday, March 23, 2018, at his home in West Palm Beach, FL. Reuben Aldridge Hale, Jr., the son of Reuben Aldridge Hale, Sr. and Sallie Irma Harris Hale, both of Oxford, MS, was born on June 29, 1927, in Belzoni, MS. He grew up in Greenwood, MS where he was a Boy Scout and Sea Scout leader, and graduated from Greenwood High School. He served in World War II in the U.S Navy in the Pacific Theatre with honors, and attended Ole Miss on the GI Bill. At the Art Institute of Chicago, he received a B.F.A. with honors and met his future wife, dancer Marie Stoner, also from Greenwood. He and Marie launched the School of Ballet and Art in their shared hometown and ran it for 6 years. Reuben trained under artists Paul Burlin, Al Newbill and Rubin Nakian. After receiving an M.F.A. with honors from Southern Illinois U., he taught art at Palm Beach State College (then Palm Beach Jr College) in Lake Worth, FL. He directed visual arts, music, theater, literature, speech, foreign language and English programs there as Chairman of Fine Arts; transformed the old auditorium into the Duncan Theatre, and acquired the Lannan Art Museum as executive director of both; and started an international workshops series attracting top-named artists. Throughout his tenure (1961-1992), Reuben held high the standard that teachers be "active and vital in the art world." His own painting and sculpting nonstop, Reuben's artwork was exhibited across the U.S. and Europe. And in his art the persistent premise: "the changing status of the female in society now and in the future will be one of the most significant changes of our time." Reuben was predeceased by his parents, and sister, Emma Elizabeth Hale Hill. He is survived by daughters, Irma Marie Hale and Beverly Ann Barber Barton (Bill), son, Peter Reuben Campbell; grandsons, Sam Adam Mitchell and Elliot Sinclair Barton, nephews, Robert Welsh Hill (Lynn) and Richard Terry Hill (Diane), two grand-nephews, one grand-niece and two great-grand nephews. He will be buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery in Greenwood, MS. A graveside service will be at 11:00AM, Saturday, March 31, 2018. An additional memorial service in West Palm Beach, FL will be held closer to the end of April (details TBD). Donations may be made to The Reuben Hale Endowed Scholarship fund at Palm Beach State College (via www.palmbeachstate.edu/foundation/make-a-gift.aspx "Donate Now" button, select "Other" and type "Reuben Hale Scholarship") or to the charity of your choice. Reuben's artwork can be viewed at www.reubenhale.com