Obituary of Myrt T. Hales of Richland Parish Louisiana
as published in The Monroe News Star, September 21, 2004 
Submitted by for the USGenWeb Archives by Dot Golliher, 09/21/2004



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Myrt T.Hales

Funeral services for Myrt Tillman Hales, Sr., age 94, will be held
at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 at First Baptst Church 
in Archibald with Brother Dwayne Accord, Brother Pat Lofton, Brother 
Wilfred Earl Burgess, and Dr. Ernest Winburn officiating. Interment 
will follow at Lynn Cemetery in Archibald, Louisiana under the 
direction of Brown-Holley Funeral Home.

Myrt Tillman Hales, Sr. was born on September 11, 1910 in Polkville, 
Mississippi. Mr. Hales went to be with the Lord on Monday, September 
20, 2004.

His family moved to Richland Parish in 1912 in search of "rich land" 
to continue their farming. They traveled by wagons and crossed the 
Mississippi River on a barge because there was no bridge. Myrt was 
one of ten children. Myrt's early years revolved around his love of 
baseball. He was a pitcher for Mangham High School. Their team was 
very successful and made it to Regional Finals.

Mr. Hales lived on and farmed the land which his father, Alex Addison 
Hales cleared during the Great Depression. He owned and operated Myrt 
Hales Grocery in the Jottemtown Community for fifty years. The general 
store was a hub of community activity and a gathering place. Mr. Myrt 
always greeted everyone with a friendly smile. He loved to joke, tease 
and have fun.

After baseball, Myrt pursued his love of music. He played the guitar 
and enjoyed all types of music. He played the guitar in church and later 
served as the Minister of Music at First Baptist Church, Archibald for 
over a period of twenty-five years. His love of music remained with him 
and he could still be heard singing "Amazing Grace" in the lobby of the 
Colonial Manor Nursing Home even in the last stages of Alzheimer's. A 
special thanks to his friends and the staff at the Colonial Manor for 
their love and support.

Mr. Myrt loved his church, First Baptist Church of Archibald. His father, 
Alex Addison Hales joined the church in its second week of existence and 
Mr. Myrt was a lifelong member of that church. He served in the role of 
Deacon since 1966.

Mr. Myrt loved his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. 
He loved life and people. God blessed him with a long, happy and fulfilling 
life.

Mr. Hales was preceded in death by his parents, Ola Jane Gray and Alex Addison 
Hales; his brothers, Luther, Earl, Ralph, Carl, and Cecil Eugene Hales; and 
his sister, Anna Bernice Hales Walters.


Mr. Hales is survived by his wife of sixty-eight years, Atsie Mae Stanford Hales 
of Archilbald; his daughter Lee Ola Hales Hill and her husband Thomas Rogers Hill, 
Sr. of Rayville; his son, Myrt Tillman Hales, Jr. and his wife, Angela Sellers 
Hanvey Hales of Rayville; his grandchildren, Thomas Rogers Hill, Jr., William 
Jeffery Hill and his wife, Monique LaVonne Carter Hill, Mamie Elizabeth (Beth) 
Hill Posey and her husband, Mark Elton Posey, Myrt Tillman Hales, III, and Jan 
Marie Hales; his great grandchildren, Jeffrey Wayne Carter, Amanda Lee Posey, 
Jeremy Kevin Hill, Sarah Elizabeth Posey, Casey Erin Johnson, Alexander Ray Hill, 
and Jonathan Tyler Hill. He is also survived by three sisters: Rachel Louise 
Hales Gibson, Grace Mae Hales Crawford and her husband, Virgil Crawford, all of
 West Monroe, Thelma Doris Hales Moon and her husband, Emory Victor Moon of 
Farmerville, and two sisters-in-law: Bobbie Jean Stanford Humphries of 
Charlotte, North Carolina and Lourdis Hales of Wahiawa, Hawaii.

Serving as pallbearers are David Castleman, James Adcock, Jr., Ronnie Dilmore, 
Ernest Young, Imp Hendrix, David Gibson, Grant Hill, Billy McCullough, Glen Copes, 
and Wendell Shoemaker.

Serving as honorary pallbearers are the deacon body of the First Baptist Church 
of Archibald.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Archibald First Baptist Youth, 
P.O. Box 177, Archibald, LA, 71218.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 
PM at Brown-Holley Funeral Home in Rayville, LA.