William Hollis “Bill” Hale

Funeral services for William Hollis “Bill” Hale, 93, West Plains, Missouri, will be at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, February 26, 2012 at First Baptist Church, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
 
William Hollis Hale went to be with the Lord on February 22, 2012, in his home in West Plains, Missouri.  He was born September 28, 1918, at Grimmet, Missouri in Howell County to Everett Monroe and Elmer Gertrude Hopkins Hale.  He grew up in Dora, Missouri and graduated from Ava High School with the Class of 1939.  He attended Southwest Baptist College and earned a teaching certificate.  He taught one year at Bethany School before entering into the Army in June of 1941.  Bill served his country in the 71^st Medical Battalion in Hawaii, the Philippines and Okinawa, Japan until November of 1945.  He was married to Wilma L. Willard on November 20, 1945 in Rover, Missouri by her grandfather Reverend Joseph Willard.  Together they owned and operated the Campus Café.  He worked at Howell-Oregon Electric for 32 years retiring in 1980.  He was proud to have surveyed most of the electric lines in Howell, Oregon, Shannon and eastern Ozark and Douglas counties.  Bill was a long-time member of First Baptist Church of West Plains where he served as a Deacon.  He was saved at the age of 12.  Bill played golf two or three times a week until he was 92 years old.  Some of his best times were had on the course with his buddies.  He also enjoyed hunting and fishing with family members.

He is survived by his wife Wilma of 66 years; son Fred Hale, wife, Shirley, West Plains; daughters Gayla Williams, husband, Doug, West Plains, Sherri Stroup and husband, Steve, Farmington, Missouri and Terri Edgar, husband, Benjamin, Billings, Missouri; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren including Lisa Brassfield and Preslee, Brian Hale and Ashley and Evan, John Hale and Jackson, Steven Brown, Danielle Williams, Derek Stroup, Haley Stroup, Melanie Edgar and Jacob Edgar;  survivors of “Uncle Hollis” also include many loving nieces and nephews.

His parents, one infant son, two brothers, Clyde Hale and Thurman Hale and three sisters, Laura Hale, Gladys Western and Amy Bennett Helms, precede him in death.

The family will receive their friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Saturday, February 25, 2012, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Military burial will be in the Oak Lawn Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to The Gideon Bible Society and may be left at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.