Dr. James Morgan Hale: Obituary

Obituaries

Dr. James Morgan Hale, age 84, of Young Harris, GA, passed away on Friday, October 28, 2016. He was born in Tampa, FL on July 24, 1932, to the late Alice Sellers and Morris Smith, Hale, Sr. He was predeceased by his brothers, Morris Smith Hale, Jr. and Robert Frank Hale; daughter, Valerie Hale Servis; and granddaughter, Virginia Dawn Wood. He was a graduate of Emory University with a B.A. in History. Graduate degrees included a Master of Arts in Teaching (History) also from Emory and an Ed. D. (Adult Education) from the University of Georgia with further studies in Psychology from North Georgia College. Prior to moving to the mountains in 1972 he taught in the Atlanta Public Schools, was on the faculty at Emory University and was active in the Georgia Jaycees. He will be remembered as being one of Georgia’s Five Outstanding Young Men. Dr. Hale was also honored by being chosen Georgia’s Outstanding Young Educator and went on to be selected one of the Nation’s Four Outstanding Young Educators – all part of the Jaycee’s programs. In 1972 he began a 23 year affiliation with Young Harris College, where he wore many hats. Many students will remember “Doc” as the Phi Chi Advisor.  Aside from his classroom duties as a professor of history and psychology, he was Dean of Students for 9 years. His greatest legacy will be establishing the YHC European Study Program. For 19 years he led students on these study tours. His proudest personal achievements were that he became an Eagle Scout at the age of 12, and that he inspired all three of his grandsons to become Eagle Scouts also.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Barbara Ward Hale; daughter and son-in-law, Melanie and James Beighley; son-in-law, Christopher Servis; grandsons, Joshua James Hale, Andrew James Servis, Ian Christopher Servis; granddaughters, Kristen Nicole Servis-Calderwood (John) and Brittany Faith Boyer. He is also survived by four foreign exchange student daughters, each of whom lived with the family for a year in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s and graduated from Towns County High School. They are Taina Hokkanen, Salo, Finland; Ute Hannemann, Minden, Germany: Marketta Nikkinen Kaikonen, Espoo, Finland; and Maria Koskinen Sukanen, Kangasala, Finland. They are still considered a part of the family and have visited and been visited numerous times over the years.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, November 12, at Sharp Memorial United Methodist Church in Young Harris. The family will receive friends immediately after the service at a reception in the Fellowship Hall of the church.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be sent to the Humane Society Mountain Shelter, P. O. Box 1252, Blairsville, GA, 30514. This request is especially fitting since before there was a local shelter, a very large number of animals left on the YHC campus found their way to Dr. and Mrs. Hale’s home to live out their lives.

He is also survived by four dogs (Jazzy, Hunter, Miss T and Baxley) and three cats (Sooty, Dixie, and Kissa) whom he dearly loved.

Mountain View Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. You may send condolences to the family and sign the guest register at www.mountainviewfuneralhome.com.

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