Larry Lynn Hale

Juniata resident Larry Lynn Hale, 84, passed away Thursday, September 1, 2022, at his home.

Memorial service will be 1:00 pm, Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at the Juniata United Methodist Church with Pastor Kathy Uldrich officiating. No viewing or visitation. Private family burial will take place at a later date at the Juniata Cemetery. DeWitt Funeral Home and Cremation Service is handling arrangements.

Memorials may be directed to his family for a later designation.

Larry was born June 10, 1938, on a farm Southwest of Bethany, Missouri, to Willard and Roberta (McCoy) Hale. He attended grades 1-12 at Eagleville, Missouri, graduating in 1956. While in High School, Larry participated in 4-H.

After graduation, he enlisted in the Navy from 1956-1959. He was sent to training in San Diego, California and went on to serve 18-months on the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier. He received training in the sonar and electrical fields while on the Midway.

After being honorably discharged he attended Columbia Missouri University and worked part-time as a grocery stocker and bartender. While bartending he was approached by a foreman for Automatic Electric and they talked and he was offered a job and he accepted, being sent to Parkridge, Illinois for further training.

Larry spent many years on the road for Automatic Electric, along with his first wife, Elaine. They welcomed four children: Dianna, Lee, Frank, and Curtis. They later divorced. As a foreman, Larry supervised the installation of rotary dial boards at various telephone companies in several states.

In 1972, Larry quit Automatic Electric and was then employed by Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph Company in Hastings NE. He met his second wife Ruth Ross who also worked for LT&T. They were married February 21, 1976. He retired after 31 years in 2003.

Larry enjoyed his work, helping people and teaching his children different tasks. He enjoyed feeding homeless animals such as rabbits, coons, possums, foxes, stray cats and dogs, squirrels, and birds. Larry was a Boy Scout leader, Lyons Club member, Eagles Lodge member, Local Telephone 7470 Union member, chairman of the Juniata Village Board, and volunteered at the Hastings Food Pantry. Larry also enjoyed going to Las Vegas and Fonner Park horse races.

Larry was preceded in death by his father and mother, Willard and Roberta (McCoy) Hale; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Carl and Delitha (dee) Ross.

He is survived by Ruth, his wife of 46 years; children, Dianna Dean of Seattle, WA, Lee (Diana) Hale of Beaver Crossing, NE, Curtis (Denise) Hale of Lincoln NE, and Frank Hale, whereabouts unknown; grandchildren, David (Frank) and Nathaniel (Curtis); four step-grandchildren, eight step-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by three siblings, Dwight Hale of Huron, S.D, Norena Hale (Wayne) of St. Paul, MN, and Twilia (Scott) Fontenot of Houston TX; along with several nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Larry Lynn Hale, please visit our floral store.