John Daniel Hale, affectionately known as Dan or “Danny Boy,” was born June 6, 1947, in Logan, West Virginia, to Helen and Jack Hale. Shortly thereafter, his father, Jack, moved the family to Marietta, Georgia, to accept a job with Lockheed Martin.
Dan was the youngest of three sons, Bill and Fred were his older siblings. After Dan’s parents divorced, Jack married Esterlene, who was a widow and had two children of her own, Beverly and Richard. Jack and Esterlene had Michelle giving Dan a younger sister. Dan was married twice during his life, to Iris Hale and Brenda Hale.
Later in life, he found a loving and lasting companionship with Jane Bates, with whom he shared the final 26 years of his life. Their relationship was built on love, friendship, travel, laughter, and countless shared experiences.
Dan graduated from Georgia Tech. His career was centered around computer programming. He worked for Atlanta Public Schools, J.C. Penney, IBM, and SunTrust Bank. He brought intelligence, curiosity, and a remarkable ability to solve problems to everything he did.
After retirement, Dan embraced the opportunity to pursue the many interests that had always made him curious about the world. He traveled extensively, wrote haiku, and continued learning simply because he wanted to understand more. His haiku were often inspired by his beloved cats.
Dan was an avid reader, with science fiction among his favorite genres. He developed an interest in woodworking and landscaping, renewed his interest in HAM radio, and even purchased a 3D printer, using it to create useful gadgets and solve everyday problems. Dan also enjoyed playing trivia with his friends.
Dan embraced his Christian faith. Once he committed himself to Christianity, he approached it with the same focus he brought to everything else. He studied, watched videos, asked questions, and wanted to understand.
Dan lived a life of integrity, service, and deep love. He will be profoundly missed by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. His memory will live on in the stories we tell, the things he taught us, the laughter we shared, and the love he gave so freely.
