James Henry Hale

OBITUARY – JAMES ‘JIM’ HENRY HALE As Jim Hale passed into the pearly gates of heaven shortly before midnight, July 2, 2024, at his home in Gamewell, NC. He served our Lord faithfully these last 40 years wherever he lived and in each church he attended. James Henry Hale was born December 30, 1938, in Stark City, MO, and was the son of the late Owen Gordon Hale and Mildred Georgia Garrett. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Donna Forbes and brother, Butch. He joined the Marine Corps in Jan 1956, taking his oath in Kansas City, MO. Within the Corps he served in Morroco; Iwakuni, Japan; 29 Stumps; Camp Pendleton; Camp Lejeune; Vietnam. He was promoted to 2nd Lt while winding up his tour in Japan. He felt his greatest assignment was leading a debriefing team for “Operation Homecoming” when the POWs came home from Hanoi. He married Mary Eileen Haverty 3 Dec 1960, to which 2 daughters were born - Carol Ann and Shannon Jodeen. Following his retirement from USMC in Feb 1976, he moved to Grants Pass, OR where he bought an independent insurance company. Shortly thereafter Jim and Mary divorced. In 1983 he moved to Lompoc, CA and began attending Trinity Church of the Nazarene. It was there that he met and married his soulmate and best friend, Diana Lee Arthur McCrary. They married June 22, 1985, and Jim gained 2 bonus daughters, Debbie Lee and Susan Marie. While working at Rylie’s Chevrolet in Lompoc he was approached the U. S. Secret Service and subsequently accepted a position at President Ronald Reagan’s Ranch. Jim later transferred to Washington, D.C. where for 12 years he primarily drove the First Ladies between 1989 – 2001. During these years he was fortunate enough to travel to 65 countries in conjunction with my driving assignments. Jim was transferred to the Field Office of San Francisco; while there he was assigned to drive such dignitaries as President Putin of Russia, President Chirac of France, former Presidents Ford, Carter and Clinton, and other numerous foreign leaders visiting our country. He remained there until his Jan ’04 retirement, when he returned to Grants Pass with his bride. Jim was a charter member of the Rogue Valley Det of Marine Corps League, having served the first year as Sr. Vice, and 2nd year as Commandant; he subsequently became the Oregon State Commandant. Jim moved to Lenoir, NC in April 2018 where he shared a home with his bride. He attends Waterlife Church where he loves to greet attendees at their 9 a.m. services. Prior to his medical decline the past 18 months, he loved to golf, walk at Broyhill Park, travel, and dine at both Paula’s Diner and Southern Crossroads and hangout with the guys at Hudson DAV. Survivors in addition to his wife are daughters: Carol Holland (Murf), Susan Cooper (Mike), Debbie (Jason), and Shannon Van Boven, 11 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Funeral service to be held at WaterLife Church, 1007 Morganton Blvd SW, Lenoir, NC July 13th at 2 p.m. Online condolences and pictures may be left at www.evansfuneralservice.com or sent to 5058 Ralph Winchester Rd, Lenoir, NC 28645. A special thanks to Caldwell County Amorem for the wonderful care received and to Evans Funeral Home and Crematory for their assistance. The family respectfully requests, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Caldwell County Amorem.