Extracted from The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, AZ)
Thursday, December 13, 2007

In Loving Memory
James Howard Hale, Jr.
September 5, 1937 - December 13, 1987

Jim Hale, our beloved and dearly missed husband, dad, and friend, was taken from us 20 years ago after a gallant battle with metastatic kidney cancer. Jim was a devoted husband to his life-long sweetheart, Mary Sue; a strong and steady dad to his sons, James Brett (Lynn, and Jim's grandchildren, Samantha and Taylor) and Todd Edward (Jenny and Jim's grandchildren, Dylan James Glenn and Katelyn); a reliable friend to many; and a respected and well-liked foreman at New Pueblo and later Granite Construction Co.

Jim was born in California but lived in Tombstone, where he graduated from high school and lettered in several sports. He then volunteered for the U.S. Air Force and served his county as a radio operator and airman in reconnaissance aircraft. Jim developed two everlasting loves upon returning to Tucson. A handsome fellow, he began dating Mary Sue in 1960. They married in 1963 and began living an American dream on Waverly and later Lee street. Jim also began his career in heavy construction, first as a laborer, then a skilled heavy equipment operator, and later a foreman and supervisor. He build many roads and other projects around Tucson and earned the respect of those he supervised and worked for. Jim was a proud 25-year member of the local Operating Engineers union. He worked incredibly hard and was taken too soon to fully enjoy the fruits of his labor. But he loved weekend getaways with his cherished Mary Sue; a cold beer and any Mexican food; hunting, fishing, and camping with his family; attending and watching UA football and basketball games; the ritual summer vacation on Mission Beach in San Diego; and many trips and weekend get togethers with the Lahrmans, Monacells, Dudashes, Escapules, Merrills, Pattersons, Depkas, Wells, Lunds, Roberts, Danloes and other lifelong family friends. Jim took up skiing shortly before his cancer struck, and loved taking his family to Sunrise in his new Ramcharger 4X4. Jim lived a life of quiet strength.

He loved his sons and by example taught them the value of hard work and a job done right. He would have been so proud to see Brett become a skilled carpenter and Tucscon Fire Department Engineer/Firefighter and Todd, a U of A honors graduate and litigation partner at Lewis and Roca LLP. Jim fought his cancer hard, enduring multiple surgeries and a grueling chemotherapy trial. He died at home, with courage and dignity, and with his beloved Mary Sue and boys at his side.

Tucson enjoyed a White Christmas in 1987, the first since 1916, and we're pretty sure Jim had a hand in the snow from his spot in heaven.

We've done our best to carry one, but we're not the same, and not a day goes by that we don't think about and miss our dearest Jim and Dad. We're still “up and at 'em,” Dad. We love you and miss you - Mary Sue, Brett, and Todd.