William N. HALE

1929 - 2018

HALE, William N. William N. "Bill" Hale passed away on December 8, 2018 at his home in Spokane. Bill was born on November 27th, 1929 in Beach North Dakota to Edward and Gladys Hale. He was the second of their 10 children: Betty, Elinore, Beverly, Margaret, Ruthie, Vera, Buzz, Gladys and Lee. The family relocated to Vancouver, Washington when Bill was 13. Bill was very fond of Vancouver, where he graduated from Ogden Meadows High School in 1948. After a short time at Clark College, where he played baseball, Bill enlisted in the Army to serve in the Korean War. He was in the 82nd Airborne Infantry Division Military Police Company. Bill received the Parachutist Badge, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Korean Service Medal with five Bronze Stars, and the Purple Heart Service Medal. Upon completion of his military service, Bill enrolled at the University of Montana in Missoula. He was a Smokejumper while he attended college there and was a Life Member of the National Smokejumper Association. He always said the opportunity to join the Smokejumpers was his "cool drink of water" and was grateful for the lifelong friendships he made during that time. Bill met his wife, Janet, on a blind date while attending the University of Montana. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology in June of 1957. Bill and Janet were married on August 31st, 1957. They moved to Wallace, Idaho, where Bill went to work as a geologist for the Bunker Hill and Sullivan Mining Company. His next position was with Standard Oil. While with Standard Oil, Bill and Jan lived in Oklahoma, Mississippi and New Mexico. The Bureau of Mines hired Bill in 1961 and the family moved to Albany, Oregon with their first son, Scott. While in Albany, their son's Chris and Casey were born. Bill was actively involved in the Episcopal Church and Toastmasters. He was an associate member of the Society of the Sigma Xi Oregon State University Chapter and The Scientific Research Society of America. Bill regularly swam at the YMCA on his lunch break and bike commuted on his 10-speed Schwinn bicycle. Bill and Jan developed many close friendships while in Albany and were sorry to leave when the family moved to Spokane in 1971. Bill continued his employment with the Bureau of Mines in Spokane until he retired in 1994. He enjoyed his time he spent working "in the field" during the summers. This work consisted of mapping mineral deposits in Idaho, California, Oregon and Washington. Bill served as an Usher and on the Vestry at St. David's Episcopal Church. He volunteered delivering Meals on Wheels throughout Spokane. Bike commuting to work was a passion for him throughout his career. He was an expert on the best bike commute routes. Bill loved running around the Indian Trail neighborhood, skiing at Mt. Spokane, running Bloomsday and running in the Coeur d'Alene Marathon. His favorite places included Glacier Park, the Bob Marshall, the Oregon Coast, the Oregon Cascades, Australia and Hawaii. Upon retirement, Bill rode his bicycle to Beach North Dakota where he was born, twice! He truly appreciated his neighbors and friends in Spokane. The Friday morning breakfast gatherings at Ripple's were an important part of his weekly routine. Bill is loved and will be missed by surviving wife of 61 years, Janet, his sons, Scott (Naomi) Albuquerque, NM, Chris of Vancouver, WA, Casey (Steve) of Santa Monica, CA, his granddaughter, Tracey and his grandson, Carson. In honoring Bill's wishes, no services will be held. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Meals on Wheels, SpokAnimal, or the American Heart Association.