Barbara Hale

BARBARA HALE, 86 of Arcola, IL passed away on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at her residence.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, August 15, 2025 at the Edwards Funeral Home, 221 East Main St., Arcola, IL. Burial will follow in the Arthur Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 14, 2025 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the funeral home.

Barbara was born on August 4, 1939, at home in the countryside outside Arcola, a daughter of Stephen P. and Mayme (Beiler) Conners. Barbara grew up on a farm in the countryside and attended a one-room schoolhouse before going to Arcola High School. She married Roger Paul Hale on June 6, 1956, in Corinth, MS. He passed away on July 7, 2015.

She is survived by five children, Kathryn A. Fawkes (Steven) of London, England, David Paul Hale (Shirley) of Arthur, IL, Thomas W. Hale (Rita) of Ft. Worth TX, Tracey L. Hunter (Kevin) of Pearland, TX, and Heather Hale of Arcola, IL; ten grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild; and a sister, Elizabeth Bassani of Vero Beach, FL, and a brother, Stephen Conners of Bonaire, GA, and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Stephen and Mayme Conners, her husband, Roger Paul Hale, one daughter, Marsha Kay Hale, one grandchild, Leah Marie Dolan and two great-grandchildren, Jeremy David Hale Jr. and Sophia Klaire Alexander, and a brother, James F. Conners.

She was active in supporting her children during their school years and out-of-school activities, being a Cub Scout Den Mother when Tom and David were Cubs, taking Kathy to volunteer work at St. Mary’s Hospital, Heather to swim practice and competitions, and Tracey to gymnastics, 4-H and Girl Scouts. She was also a 4-H leader.

She worked part-time at Arthur S&L and Bennett Insurance while the children were growing up. When Heather was in school, she started working at the Arthur IGA and after completing a degree at Parkland College, she worked for more than ten years at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois. Following retirement from the Beckman she worked part-time for Michael J Smith and Associates, an accounting firm in Champaign.

After her children left home, she loved to play cards, particularly Bridge, with a group of ladies from Arthur. She was always an avid reader. She loved Dachshunds and had a number of them over many years.