Richard Hale

Services for Richard Lee "Dick" Hale, 89, Lawrence, will be at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 16, at Plymouth Congregational Church. Interment will be at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery at a yet-to-be-determined date.

Mr. Hale passed away Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019, at his home in Lawrence.

Dick was born January 3, 1930, to Glenn and Ruby Hale of Mankato, Kan. He was the youngest and last surviving of five siblings. He was raised in Mankato where in high school he excelled in scholastics, football, basketball and track. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1952 with a degree in Journalism and shortly thereafter was inducted into the U.S. Army. He attended the school for the Army's Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) and was assigned to Upstate New York.

While at KU, Mr. Hale met his companion who would accompany him the reminder of his life. He married Nancy Craig in her hometown of Cresco, Iowa, in February 1953.

Upon leaving the Army in 1954, the couple moved to Northwest Kansas where Mr. Hale became owner and publisher of the St. Francis Herald and the Bird City Times. Both papers were sold in 1974. Mr. Hale then transitioned into a series of national magazine editing positions in Lawrence, North Palm Beach, Fla., and Tulsa, Okla. Upon retirement in 1997 the Hales returned to Lawrence.

Mr. Hale was involved with numerous professional and civic organizations, including the Kansas Press Association, Rotary, Shriners and several church boards of directors. He was a lifelong member of the KU Alumni Association and is past president of Alvamar Golf Club in Lawrence.

In addition to wife Nancy, survivors include: son Steve Hale and wife Sharyl, Gardner, Kan.; daughter Kris Hale Shurtz and husband Mike Shurtz, Lawrence; son Mike Hale and wife Jerri, Omaha, Neb.; daughter Sarah Hale Wilcher and husband Todd Wilcher, Kansas City, Mo.,; and eight grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Visitation with family will be at Plymouth Congregational Church following services. The family suggests memorials to Plymouth Congregational Church, Douglas County Visiting Nurses Hospice and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be sent at www.rumsey-yost.com