Jerry Hale

Whitney resident Jerry Lynne Hale passed peacefully at her home, the morning of Friday, June 20. She was in the company of her daughter, Holly Lynne Totten, and her son Pete Hale, who had been with her for comfort and care during the final weeks and days of her illness. Jerry was the devoted wife of Roger "Buddy" Hale for more than 50 years, until his death in 2017. The couple were long-time residents of Cleburne before relocating to Whitney in 2017.

Jerry will be remembered by family and friends for her kindness and caring, as she truly had the heart of a servant. A devoted wife and loving, caring Mother of two, she was a strong and passionate presence and supporter of all things "family," always present in body and spirit to organize, support, console, mentor, celebrate, and encourage each and every member of her immediate and extended family. She was proud of her husband, Roger, and her children, and made it known quickly she also had four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, with number eleven expected later this year! She also managed to keep up with and share the lives of her sister, brothers- and sisters-in-law, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, newborns, fiancés, and newlyweds throughout the years.

A passionate reader and student of literature, Jerry was an advocate for the power and adventure that the written word afforded. She loved a good mystery, knew every shelf of any library within driving distance, and encouraged all to read and write. In Cleburne, she volunteered at the local library, delivering books to the homebound regularly through a "books on wheels" exchange program for those unable to commute to the library. Even in her last days, with fading eyesight, her Kindle, set to larger type, was always at hand. One of her favorite and most rewarding chapters of her life was the years she served as the librarian at Gerard Elementary in Cleburne. She truly enjoyed the enthusiasm of the young minds and took special pride in matching new readers with books that entertained and educated them. This trait evidently passed to her daughter, Holly, who is also an accomplished author and communicator. With her daughter, she often served as a judge for various UIL Writing Contests in Texas and Oklahoma.

Jerry's love for reading was matched by her love for gardening and birds. She kept a beautiful yard and would proudly tell stories of how she obtained most of her plants. One of her favorites, though, were her Heirloom roses which she often received as gifts on her many trips to different nurseries with Pete and his wife, Linda. She loved birds-real and decorative. One of her biggest 'yard' challenges was trying to keep the squirrels out of her bird feeders, which, from time to time, was quite comical to watch. However, thanks to a skinny pole and a slinky, she was finally victorious.

Jerry was born to Jerald T. and Leona Fuqua in Seminole, OK, in 1935. She spent her childhood there, but her family also lived in California, and Roswell, New Mexico, where she graduated from high school before entering college at Eastern New Mexico State University in Portales. College would be life-changing for her, as she quickly met her husband-to-be Roger Hale and they were married August 8, 1954. The couple soon embarked on a life-long adventure living and raising their family in numerous locations including San Diego, CA and Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, thanks to the US Navy, and then in Texas, New Mexico, Georgia, Colorado, and Tennessee and back to Texas! They finally settled outside of Cleburne in 1979, where they spent the next 37 years. Able to set up a home and entertain a dinner party on a moment's notice, Jerry could have been the literal poster child for a "home is where the heart is" Hallmark movie!

Jerry Lynne Hale was a loved and treasured member of a proud family. Her charm and wit will be missed, but we are thankful to have had her in our lives. Jerry is survived by her daughter Holly Lynne and husband Erik Totten of Whitney, their son Riley and wife LauraBeth and their children Ramsey and Porter, of New Berlin, and their daughter Chelsea Lynne and husband Brad Morrow and their children, Noah, Mabrey Lynne and Kylie Lynne of Cranfills Gap; son Pete and wife Linda Hale of Frankston, their son Justin and wife Amy Hale of Sour Lake and their children Heidi Lynne and Griffin, and their daughter Courtney Lynne and her husband Carl Gerken of Houston and their children Hayes, Charlotte Lynne, and Daphne; and her sister, Patrica Ann Davenport of Greensboro, NC. Her sister-in-law Joyce Wartes of Hereford, TX, and brother-in-law Robert Hale of Weatherford, TX were also close family members to her, along with her nieces and nephews and their families.

A private family service is being planned, and the family gratefully acknowledges prayers and thoughts of the many friends and family members who have reached out to extend condolences and support during this time. The love and respect for our mom is evident in the outpouring of care from her community of friends in Whitney and Cleburne! She will be missed by many.

The family wishes to gratefully thank and acknowledge the care, compassion, and professionalism displayed by the staff of Wings Over Texas Hospice. In particular, we wish to thank Tammy Arnold and Lana Richardson, who were there to help throughout Mom's final days. Your compassion and care were evident, and we thank you!

In lieu of flowers and in acknowledgment of her caring heart, monetary contributions in her memory can be made to: King Memorial Methodist Church Thrift Store c/o Jerry Hale, 502 N. Colorado St., Whitney, TX 76692, or Gerard Elementary Library, Cleburne, Tx. Donations for Gerard can be sent to Southside Bank, 1204 W. Henderson St., Cleburne, TX 76033. Please make checks payable to Jerry Hale and note 'Gerard Elementary Library' on the memo line.

Final care arrangements were handled by Marshall & Marshall Funeral Home, Whitney, TX.