John Hale 76, died at home on Monday, October 14, 2019.
John was born in Pinner, Middlesex, England, on August 8, 1943, to Ronald Frederic and Irene Besant (nee Garnham) Hale. He had one sister, Mary.
At the age of 13 he went to King’s School Bruton in Somerset where he thrived, especially enjoying sports and the outdoors. He maintained a lifelong affection for the school and that beautiful part of England.
After graduating, John joined Union Carbide Corporation working in the metals division in London. Studying at night school he earned an HNC in metallurgy and a diploma in marketing. He worked for Union Carbide for the next 32 years in London, Birmingham, Sheffield, NYC, Geneva, Switzerland, and Danbury, CT. He traveled widely throughout Europe and spent much time in South Africa and Zimbabwe, becoming involved with social issues as well as the mining operations.
After retiring from Carbide, John started his own business with a former colleague, importing ferro chrome from Zimbabwe. They operated this successfully for 15 years.
In 1967, John married his wife, Valerie. They have three children and seven grandchildren. Following John’s career, they moved many times and enjoyed getting to know each new environment. Having a love of cool weather, the outdoors and mountains and no longer needing to commute to an office, they decided to move to Vermont 18 years ago.
In his retirement, John enjoyed being free from the structure of business life. He liked to garden, play golf and hike. He was a committed member of Valley Rotary. He and Valerie enjoyed trips to Europe and South America.
He was devoted to his wife, his children and to his seven grandchildren, who knew his love and care for them was abundant but whose respect must be earned!
During the past three years we have witnessed his courage as he lived with cancer and the effects of a life-changing spinal cord injury, retaining his dry British sense of humor and remaining able and willing to be present for his family.
We are grateful for his unwavering love and support and for all the experiences, adventures and the quality of life his hard work afforded us.
John, Dad and Grandpa, he is loved and mourned by us all.
Val, Sarah and Russel, Ali and Duane, Dave and Irene, Sebastian, Beck, Robin, Hadley, Thea, Teagan and Gavin.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Mad River Valley Community Fund, mrvcommunityfund.org, or Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, cvhhh.org.
A memorial service for John will be held at the Round Barn on Thursday, October 24, at 11 a.m.
