Grandaddy, M.L. “Merv” Hale departed his earthly life to dwell with his lord and savior Jesus Christ and those loved ones waiting to welcome him to Heaven on Sunday, October 27th at the age of ninety.
Merv was born on February 22, 1934, in Goldthwaite, Texas to Helen and Oran Hale. He graduated Salutatorian from Northside High School in Fort Worth, TX and began a forty-year career with Gulf. He married his high school sweetheart our Mimi, Earlene “Jody” Smallwood and together welcomed two children, Jeff and Jamie.
Grandaddy moved the family to Midland, TX in 1957 where he continued his work with Gulf, later known as Chevron, focused on drafting and reproduction. Grandaddy retired in 1992 and enjoyed years of travel to places including Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, New York, the Panama Canal and many more, with Mimi and their many friends. Grandaddy also enjoyed golf on Fridays with his friends, and you could always find him on the sidelines of a soccer game, front row at the theatre and dance recitals, and visiting them in New York, San Antonio and Fort Worth to support them in every aspect of their lives. Family was the most precious, important thing to our Grandaddy.
Merv was also a devoted volunteer at the Baptist Crisis Center and Meals on Wheels. He and Mimi were members of Crestview Baptist Church for over fifty years where he served on the XYZ Board, hospital and homebound committee, and was a greeter and Deacon of the church.
Grandaddy was preceded in death by his mother and father, Helen and Oran Hale, son Jeff Hale, and grandson Mike Hamm. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of seventy years Earlene “Jody” Hale, Daughter Jamie Hamm, Son in law Rick Hamm, Granddaughters Jennifer Burton and husband Noah Burton, Halee Hamm and wife Meredith Decker Hamm, and precious great grands Addison Henshaw (17), Ranger Burton (10), Alro James Hamm (2) and Micah June Hamm (6 weeks).
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to staff members of St. Joseph and Home Hospice of Midland for their loving support and care of Grandaddy in recent months.
The celebration of life will be held Friday, November 1st, at 2:00 p.m. at Crestview Baptist Church in Midland, TX. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation to the charity of your choice.
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