Richard "Rick" Gordon Hale

Known to most as Rick, he was born in Lackawanna NY on August 19, 1943 and spent his formative years in the Buffalo & Hamburg NY area. He was a graduate of Hamburg High School in 1961 and went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in business from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While attending there, he was an active member of the Beta Gamma chapter of Delta Tau Delta in which many stories have been told over the years of his experience in his beloved fraternity.

On a request from a fraternity brother, he asked out a lovely young woman named “Mimi” who was also attending the university, and she quickly became the love of his life and they were married in October of 1965 in Birmingham, MI. They started married life together in Buffalo, NY where Rick worked in the insurance industry until he landed a job with Houdaille Industries. He later took a position in Detroit, MI with Fruehauf Corporation as their Director of Pensions and Investments and worked there from 1971-1989.

Rick and Mimi raised their two daughters in Troy, Michigan before moving to Charlotte, NC in 1989, so Rick could pursue a new career with Gamco, Investors. The financial industry led him to Morgan Stanley, where he ultimately retired early in 2002.

After retirement, Rick enjoyed first and foremost, his family; especially his four grandchildren who adoringly called him “Pappy”. He was an avid American History buff who could answer most any question regarding any event in US History, but especially loved learning about the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln and battle strategies. He dove deep into his ancestry and worked tirelessly to document, research and compile our family history so he could pass it down to his heirs.

Rick loved all things NASCAR and was an avid Wisconsin Badger Football fan. He loved feeding the birds in his beautiful backyard and spending time at Pawley’s Island for a week each summer with his wife, daughters and their families. The memories made during this coveted yearly beach trip will live on in each of us forever.

Richard was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Newton Hale; parents Harold Wayne Hale and Eleanor Hale Barrick and brother Dennis Bradley Hale.

He is survived by daughters Tracey Leigh (Louis) Simmet of Charlotte, NC and Jennifer Lynn (Kevin) Ray of Charlotte, NC; beloved grandchildren Katelyn Rae (Daniel) Wood of Leland, NC, Haley Paige (Logan) Burdett of Fort Mill, SC, Mackenzie Elizabeth Ray of Durham, NC and Trevor James Ray of Charlotte, NC. He also leaves behind great grandchildren Carter Dean, Lincoln James, Isla Claire and River Louis, as well as nephew Bradley Jason Hale (Soraya Honate) and niece Lindsay Hale Kozlowski (Jeremy Smith) along with many cousins from both sides of his family.

A private, graveside service will be held at Sharon Memorial Park in Charlotte, NC.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice and Palliative Care/Charlotte Region at P.O. Box 470408, Charlotte, NC 28247 OR Presbyterian Novant Heart & Wellness Center, Suite 200, 125 Baldwin Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28204