Betty Hale

Betty Irene (nee Lynn) Hale departed peacefully from this life on July 8, 2016, less than 3 months before her 90th birthday. Betty was born in Grand Rapids, MI and grew up in nearby Dutton. She graduated from Caledonia High School in 1943 and married her high school sweetheart Carl Quentin Hale in 1946, after he returned from service in WWII. Over the years, Carl and Betty made their homes in several different Michigan towns, including Stanton, Tecumseh, Tobinabee, and Lake Ann. After Carl retired from teaching in the Michigan Public Schools in 1980, they moved to Stuttgart, Germany for a position with the Department of Defense School System. During weekends and school vacations, Carl and Betty traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East. They returned to Lake Ann in 1985 and spent their winters in New Port Richey, FL. After Carl’s death in 2000, Betty continued to live on her own for several years, then moved to the Bay Ridge community in Traverse City. She is survived by a brother, Gary Lynn of Delton, MI and by her four sons: Gerald L. Hale and his wife Kristine of Philadelphia, PA, Richard M. Hale and his wife Rita of Munising, MI, James C. Hale of Traverse City, and Jeffrey C. Hale and his wife Laura of Durham, NC. She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Kendra Buckingham, Nathanael Hale, Laura Wieman, Benjamin Hale, Bethany Hale, John Hale, Katherine Hale, and Andrea Hale; her granddaughter Kora Hale died in 2012. Betty also leaves behind 12 great-grandchildren.

The family invites friends and relatives to help them celebrate Betty’s life at 11:00 a.m. (following visitation at 10:00 a.m.) on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at Traverse Bay United Methodist Church, 1200 Ramsdell Road, Traverse City, MI. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations of blood to Michigan Blood (www.miblood.org) or making a memorial contribution to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). Please visit www.lifestorytc.com to sign the guest book and share a message with the family. The family chose Life Story Funeral Home, Traverse City.