Clay Hale Jr.

Clay Hale (A.C. Hale, Jr.), 84, of El Dorado, AR, died Saturday, November 19, 2011, following a brief illness. He was born March 8, 1927 in Foreman, AR, to the late Alfred C. Hale, Sr. and Bess (Akin) Hale. He graduated from Camden Fairview High School in 1945 and subsequently served in the U.S. Army. He was a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University, and had lived in El Dorado since 1957.

He learned the pipe organ business from William Redmond of Dallas, TX, and was the owner of Hale Organ Works, which was based in El Dorado for many years. During this time, he maintained and tuned pipe organs over an area covering 5 states. He served as a consultant and assisted in the restoration of the pipe organ in Wesley’s Chapel, London, in the early 1980’s.

He was a Baptist minister and has served as pastor of Philidelphia Baptist Church and Liberty Baptist Church near the Lawson community. He was the pastor of Grace Bible Church in El Dorado at the time of his death.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, David Hale and Dr. Ralph E. Hale; and his beloved wife, Mary Sue Whitlatch Hale, who died in 1981.

Survivors include his special friend, Gurtha Sorrells of El Dorado; a daughter, Mary Clark and husband Donnie, of El Dorado; a son, Walter Hale of Magnolia; two grandsons, Wesley Clark and wife Rachelle of Mt. Holly; and Conrad Clark and wife Janna of El Dorado; four great grandchildren, Zoe Clark, Mackenzie Clark, Zachary Clark and Lucas Clark; a brother, Dr. Joe Hale of Waynesville, N.C.; and caregiver, Thelma Fortner.

Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, November 22, 2011, at Young’s Chapel with Rev. Bruce Murphy, Bro. Steve Pelz, and Father Chuck Chapman officiating. Interment will follow at Bethesda Presbyterian Cemetery in Camden, AR., under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors.

Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 P.M., Monday, at Young’s.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gideon’s International, P. O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN., 37214-0800, or Grace Bible Church, 1123 North Martin Luther King Blvd., El Dorado, AR., 71730.