Known as Jack throughout his life, and Pap to his grandchildren and the many other children in his life, Jack was born the second child of Richard and Polly Hale in Epperly, WV, a mining community in the Appalachian Mountains. His father passed when Jack was a small child, and he and his older sister and younger brother were raised by his mother alone. Jack often told stories of these times, of the humble circumstances he grew up in, and the loving extended family that surrounded him.

His family moved to Pennsylvania shortly after his older sister married, and Jack attended S. Horace Scott High School in Coatesville, PA. He played basketball and served as class president, and graduated in 1961. He went on to study Business Administration at Drexel University, earning a bachelor's degree in 1974.

Jack met his wife, Virginia ("Ginny") Goering, through his friendship with Ginny's brother, Chuck, and after a whirlwind romance, they were married in 1965, and moved to Norristown, where they raised their family and lived out the remainder of their lives.

While holding a variety of jobs in his younger days, Jack worked most of his adult life for Bell Telephone (later Bell Atlantic), working his way from the starting position of lineman up to a payroll programming executive, retiring from that company at 48, and then working as an accountant for Montgomery County, PA.

In retirement, Jack and Ginny traveled extensively throughout the United States, with an emphasis on the National Parks and various historical sites. He also enjoyed acting in local community theater productions (his performance as Scrooge in a production of A Christmas Carol was particularly beloved), and was very active in church life, first at Central Presbyterian Church, then, following that church's closure, at Ascension United Church of Christ, both in Norristown. He was also a member of The Gideons. As he aged, Jack took his pleasures closer to
home, enjoying birdwatching and gardening, and spending time socializing with his large family and many friends.

Jack passed suddenly in his home on July 20th, and a private burial was held July 25th. Jack is survived by his sister, Ella Huffman, his children, Virginia ("Nina") Ely (h. Andrew), Raymond Jack ("Beau") Hale III (w. Kelly), and Sharon Hale-Mauch, his bonus daughter Sedeara Dawson, and their children Hope, Clare, Equill, Jadeara, James, Aasad, Aamahyzn, and Aah'sum, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his younger brother Nate, and his wife Ginny.

Jack is remembered by his family and friends as kind, soft-spoken, generous, a gentleman, and a man of faith. A memorial service for Jack will be held September 6th at two o'clock at Ascension United Church of Christ in Norristown. All are welcome.