Elwood Clarence Hale
GRAPEVINE TEXAS--Elwood Hale died peacefully on Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Wichita Falls, Texas, at the age of 92. MEMORIAL SERVICE: 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, at Countryside Bible Church in Southlake. Senior Pastor Tom Pennington will officiate the ceremony. Elwood was born Dec. 31, 1926, in Marksville, La. He served in the U.S. Army in World War II, then graduated from Southern Nazarene University in 1949 with a degree in chemistry. Additionally, Elwood played basketball for the school.
He married a Southern Nazarene home economics major, Marjorie Evelyn Lemay, in 1949. After graduation, Elwood began his career in chemical engineering working for Macklanburg-Duncan in Oklahoma City, Okla. He specialized first, in formulating caulking compounds, and, next, in aluminum extrusion and anodization manufacturing development. In 1959, Elwood and family moved to Southern California to continue his career in anodized aluminum manufacturing, working for Aluminum Extrusion of Glendale, Calif., and Texas Aluminum of Covina, Calif. The Hales settled in Sylmar, in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in the northeast corner of the San Fernando Valley. Elwood began his career with the Los Angeles Unified School District in 1961 while keeping his industry skills sharp by continuing to work for Texas Aluminum on Saturdays. In 1968, the Hales leased their home, purchased a VW Camper, and spent a year camping in Europe, and beyond, from the Arctic Circle in Norway to Israel in the Middle East.
In 1976 Elwood completed his Master's Degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling at Azuza Pacific University, and earned his MFCC designation and certification. He counseled, mentored and discipled people for over 30 years in that capacity. Elwood was active in counseling while a member of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Calif. During this time, he also taught at Master's College, and served in the Jail Ministry. Elwood was known for his patience, kindness, and perseverance in his relationships with people. At age 65, he took up golf and fell in love with the game. Elwood loved and invested in his three sons, encouraging them in their endeavors, including education, career, life skills, baseball, surfing, and music. Once his sons were out of the nest, he spent increasing time with Marjorie in the form of weekend getaways and traveling. In 2004, Elwood and Marjorie moved to Grapevine in order to be closer to their two Texas-based sons. He was an active member of Countryside Bible Church since 2004.
Elwood was preceded in death by his parents, John Hardy Hale and Olie Mae Saucier Hale; siblings, John Hardy Hale Jr. and Dwight Hale. SURVIVORS: He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; children, Keith of Grapevine, James of Wichita Falls, and Timothy of Seattle, Wash.; siblings, DeJuana Jones of Alexandria, Va., and Robert Hale of Santa Barbara, Calif. The family would like to thank Hospice of Wichita Falls In Patient Unit for their responsive and gentle care, and for their ministry to Elwood's soul in many ways during his final days on earth