Newell Dawson Hale

Newell Dawson Hale, of Pomfret, passed away on Wed- nesday (November 27, 2002) at the age of 76. Born July 19, 1926 in LaPorte, IN, Newell Hale has lived in Pomfret Center since 1954. He was, to all who knew him, an outstanding citizen, father, husband and friend. After growing up in South Carolina and graduating from Spartanburg High School, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard at age 16 and served in the Philippines in World War II. In 1950, he graduated from Hobart College with a B.A. in Economics. He was a brother in the Theta Delta Chi Fraternity. He had three daughters with his first wife. In 1971, he married Alice Elizabeth Uhler "Betty" with whom he had a son. In 1954 he relocated to Pomfret to live near his parents, Janet Dawson Hale and Laurence Newton Hale, formerly of Brooklyn. With his father and Tom Reid, formerly of Danielson, he co-founded the Hale Manufacturing Company, which owned and operated 11 mills in Northeastern Connecticut, Massachusetts and Alabama. Hale was a textile expert and consultant, and until his retirement in 1988, he led the company as Vice President in charge of sales. He was a member of the Southern New England Textile Association and served on the Board of the Windham Textile Museum. Newell Hale strongly believed in investing in his community's resources, a commitment that has manifested itself time and time again in his life as an active civic servant; he donated much of his time and efforts to local community enrichment projects. He was the longest standing member of the Pomfret Lions Club, which awarded him Citizen of the Year for his many efforts in bettering the community. As a communicant of Christ Episcopal Church in Pomfret, he founded and led the Christ Church Community Soup Kitchen, and spent 13 years purchasing and preparing nutritious meals for hundreds of needy northeast Connecticut families and community members. Hale served for many years on the Board of Trustees and Book Selection Committee of Pomfret Public Library, volunteered with the local 4H chapter, and chaired the Board of Directors for Opera New England of Northeastern Connecticut, an organization that has brought professional opera and other forms of the arts to fifth graders from 23 local school districts, free of charge, for 28 years. Two of Newell Hale's greatest beliefs were in community education and healthcare. He served on the Board of Education at Pomfret Community School, was a Trustee at The Pomfret School for eight years, and with his wife, Betty, he rounded a local scholarship to assist a local public school student with the tuition required to attend The Pomfret School. He also created a scholarship to help a student with the tuition for his alma mater, Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Newell Hale was a Corporator of Day Kimball Hospital, was a member of the hospital's Development Committee, and with his wife, Betty, was the Co-Chair of Day Kimball Hospital's New Century Campaign, which raised the funds to build the much needed, state-of-the-art Surgical Suite and Birthing Center housed by the new Hale Medical Pavilion. Newell and Betty Hale were publicly commended for their community service efforts by the Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, Newell and Betty endowed a fund with the Worcester Foundation to benefit local charities. Although Newell Hale led an extraordinarily philanthropic and civic-minded life, at the top of his list of priorities were his family and his dear friends. He was a loving and involved father to his three daughters, his son and their families, he was a committed grandfather, and he was as wonderful as a husband as he was a best friend to his wife, whom he adored. Newell was loved for his grand sense of humor and southern hospitality. Whether at one of the large parties or small barbecues by the pool that he and his wife hosted, he cherished the time he spent visiting with all of his family and friends. He and his friends gathered for years at the "Hale Bowl" in his den on Sundays to root for the N.Y. Giants, and he looked forward to spending every Thursday afternoon with some of his oldest friends at the Thursday Luncheon Intellectual Group. The Hale family is proud of the legacy that Newell has left for our family and for our community, and would like to thank all of the wonderful people, near and far, who have helped Newell to live such a fulfilling and enjoyable life. Newell Hale is survived by his loving wife, Alice Elizabeth Uhler Hale "Betty"; his children, Catherine Inglis Hale, Leslie Hale Cooke, Lee Murray Hale, Laurence Newton Hale II, and his daughter-in-law, Jane Currie Linnard Hale; his grandchildren, Ashley Eman Mannell and Robert Benjamin Mannell, Alec Andre Newell Eman, Benjamin Lee Cooke and Helen Currie Hale. He was pre-deceased by his first wife, Jacqueline Murray Hale Sanner. A memorial service celebrating the life of Newell Hale will be TODAY, 10:30 a.m., at the Pomfret School Chapel, Pomfret St., Rte. 169, Pomfret. A reception will follow at the Hale Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Day Kimball Hospital HomeCare, PO Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260, or The Newell Hale Liver Research Fund, G.I. Unit, Dr. Dienstag, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114. The Smith & Walker Funeral Home, Putnam, is directing the arrangements.