David Hale, age 79, of McKinney, Texas, passed away January 29, 2018.
David grew up in Guymon, Oklahoma. He excelled in athletics, participating in track, baseball and, most importantly, basketball. He was an All-American basketball player in high school, and earned a full scholarship to Oklahoma City University. When not competing on the athletic fields, he loved restoring old cars, carpentry, and fixing things. These interests lead to his earning a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. While at OCU, he met and married the love of his life, Miss Sherry Gay Maddox, on August 15, 1958, in Sherry’s home town of Cordell, Oklahoma.
After graduating from OCU in 1960, David taught mechanical drawing and coached basketball at Star Spencer High School in Oklahoma City. After leaving Star Spencer, he found another opportunity at Lee-Way Motor Freight as head of sales. David and Sherry welcomed their first daughter, Jacquelyn Elayne, during his stint at Lee-Way. Five years later, daughter Tiffany Gay came along. David spent four more years at Lee-Way, but when his longtime friend, Don Alexander, offered him a job managing his car dealership, David and Sherry relocated the family to Cordell.
Their next big adventure came in 1981, with the opening of Hale’s Restaurant on the downtown square in Cordell. The family operated the restaurant for six years, serving their famous Sunday Special with fresh baked bread and dessert, including unmatched coconut pie.
After Hale’s closed, David went back to school and earned his Master’s degree in education at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, while also working at the Washita County Assessor’s office.
When he graduated, he spent time with the Cordell school district as a principle, counselor, teacher, and Vo-tech instructor.
After they retired in 2006, David and Sherry moved to McKinney, Texas, to be close to their grandkids, Eric David and Benjamin Matthew Tinkler. David always had a warm and enthusiastic greeting for everyone who came by, and quickly became known throughout their new neighborhood. David’s family would especially like to acknowledge a few extra-special neighbors (they know who they are), who hold a very special place in their hearts.
David and Sherry’s commitment to each other truly exemplified everything the best of marriages holds. David was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather (to kids and dogs), and friend. He will be missed by everyone who had the honor of knowing him.
He is survived by his wife, Sherry Hale, of McKinney, Texas, daughters Jacque Glenn and husband, Don, of Kansas City, Missouri, and Tiffany Tinkler and husband, John of McKinney along with grandchildren , Eric and Ben, as well as his brothers Aaron Hale and wife Jeanette, of Columbia, South Carolina and Bruce Hale of Hugoton, Kansas.
David was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Bertha Hale and sister, Robbie Keenan.
A memorial service will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.