Charles Lowell Hale

He was born Oct. 15, 1922 at Morrilton, AR to James Albert Hale and Ruth Ethel Cunningham Hale. He married Leota Eugenia Colyer of McClure, IL on Jan. 1, 1950 in Tamms, IL. She preceded him in death on Oct. 16, 2002 after 52 years of marriage. Also preceding him are his parents, one daughter, Ethelyn Kaye Brown of Fernley, NV; four brothers, three sisters, one half brother and three half sisters.

Lowell is survived by two daughters, Myra Jo (Steve) Quisenberry of Pekin, Gayla (Louis Arthur) Long of Green Valley; one son, Tony (Pauline) Hale of Fern Park, FL; 10 grandchildren, Carrie Nicole (Ben) Davis of Normal, Chris (Amy) Quisenberry of Morton, Charles Keith (Audrey) Chance of Friendship, TN, Cheral (Jeff) Retzer of Waynesville, MO, Mark Quisenberry, Heidi Jo (Chris) Swonger both of Pekin, Brianne (Kyle) Burks, Kristina Hale, Brian Hale, Lois Hale all of Fern Park, FL; 20 great-grandchildren; one sister, Pauline Cooper of St. James, MO; five sisters-in-law, Carrie Hale of East Prairie, MO, Deloris Hale of Murray, KY, Joann Toler of Cape Girardeau, MO, Shirley Colyer of Thebes, Elsa Colyer of Spanaway, WA; many nieces and nephews, and a family friend Charles Rolinski.

He graduated from McCrory High School in 1941. He served in the Army from 1943 to 1946 during World War II in New Guinea. He received the Purple Heart. In 1949 he graduated from the University of Missouri with a B.S. in Education. He began his teaching career in a one room school, grades 1 thru 8, in Southern Illinois. He also taught at Thebes, IL, Advance, MO, and South Pekin, retiring in 1976. He taught Vocational Ag, Science and Math. He also worked at Sears in Peoria.

He enjoyed gardening and hand embroidery. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Morton.

Visitation will be Friday, Nov. 11, 2011 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Davison-Fulton Woolsey Funeral Home at 301 Broadway St. in Pekin, IL. Funeral Services will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home, with ministers of FBC Morton, Richard Shaw and Jennifer Damotte officiating. Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin, with military honors.

Memorials may be made to OSF Hospice, or the OSF Cancer Center.