James "Chief" Brian Hale

Funeral Services for James or “Chief”, as he was called by his friends will be held 1:00pm, Monday, July 20, 2020 at Reed Culver Funeral Home Chapel with brother Gil Hooper, and brother Clay Buckner officiating. Burial will follow at Tahlequah City Cemetery in Tahlequah, OK. A wake service will be held at First Indian Baptist Church in Tahlequah, on Sunday, July 19, 2020 from 7:00pm until 9:00pm.

Pallbearers for James include Jeremy Sockey, Evan Cozad, Willie Cozad, Kevin Given, Chuck Bread, and Jason Brodie. Honorary Pallbearers will be, Mitchell McEloy, Sean McEloy, and Johnathan Knowles

James accepted Christ and was baptized when he was 7 years old at the Deep Fork Church in Checotah, OK. James attended Cherokee Elementary in Tahlequah. While attending there, James ran track and was known as the fastest boy in Cherokee County. He had out ran everyone by two laps and to this day, no one has broken his record. James went on to attend Tahlequah Jr. High and was very active in all the sports and well-liked by the teachers and other students. His activities continued on through Tahlequah High School where he graduated in 1996. After high school James went to college at Northeastern State University, then Oklahoma State University where he belonged to a Fraternity, finally ending up at Redland Jr. College where he played basketball. James and his friends loved to skate board. While attending NSU he and his friends worked on building the skate park in Tahlequah where the city pool used to be.

After college he moved to Alex City, Alabama and from there James made his home in Birmingham, AL. James worked as a production manager, and owned TF Productions. His job allowed him to work for many big names in entertainment, such as, Garth Brooks and His wife, and Clint Black, who also offered him a job as head of security. James turned it down because he didn’t want to leave Alabama. He also worked with WWF wrestling. He told his mom, Big Show was trying to get him to wrestle with them. This is only a few on the long list of entertainers James had worked with. He loved his work and had just begun writing songs, singing, and recording them.

James was a beloved son, brother, uncle and great uncle, he truly loved his other brothers and family.

Those waiting for him to join them at the heaven’s gate include two grandfathers; Reverend Billy Hale, and Floyd Moses, two grandmothers; Lucy Hale and Etta Mae Fixico and one sister; Juanita Sue Given

Left to cherish his memory include his father David Hale from Okemah, OK, His mother Deborah K. Medicine Bear, and step father David R. Medicine Bear from Tahlequah, OK, one sister; Regina Given from Anadarko, OK, two brothers; Kevin Given from Denver, CO, and Sabin Given from Dadeville, AL, three nephews, four nieces, two great nieces, four great nephews, three aunts, two uncles and a host of other friends and loved ones.