Kenneth Clayton Hale was a genuine one-of-a-kind, hell-of-a good guy and he will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Ken was born on February 24, 1956 and he died on September 1, 2020. In April 2020, he was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, which is the most aggressive brain cancer.
Ken was born in Beaumont, Texas and spent his youth in Cajun country, Louisiana. He served in the Air Force in Arizona in his early 20s, graduated from the University of Southwest Louisiana in 1980, and worked in the oil field before moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1987. He worked in lawn care in the metro area, and after his twin children were born, he worked up to 3 jobs at a time to provide for his family. Regardless of his situation, he was always cheerful and ready to go on another adventure. In his youth, he loved hunting, fishing, and other outdoor pursuits. Ken hiked (nearly) the whole Appalachian Trail twice, once with his brother Doug. He continued to love hiking and camping and was an active member of the Kennesaw Mountain Trail Club for several years. In the late 1980s, he was even struck by lightning and found the experience enlightening. During all these experiences, he found the time to connect with the people around him. Ken never met a stranger in his life and was always excited to share a story (or three). He truly loved people and never forgot those who he spent time with, even after decades had passed.
He leaves behind a wife of 33 years, Phyllis Reece Hale, and three children, Kady, Luke (and partner Tony Cole), and Gaby Hale. Also mourning are his brothers Tony and Doug Hale, sister Anne Hale Hunt, and sister-in-law Sandie Long and her husband Robert. He is also missed by his nieces and nephews, Lisa, Scott, Andrew, David, James, Chris, Deanna, Heather, and Jake. His cherished dog, Harper, misses him dearly. He is preceded in death by his parents Cash and Retta Hale and his sister-in-law Mona Reece. The world has lost a treasure with his passing and his family would like to honor his beautiful life with something that he would be enormously proud of. His family is working on having a memorial park bench placed in his beloved Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. There will be a place to sit and remember what a remarkable man Ken was and his impact on those who knew and loved him. Because of the pandemic, the family will not be holding a memorial service.
