Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Hale, Chester G. May 8, 2013 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com January 4, 2015, 3:46 pm Ionia Sentinel-Standard (Weekender) Sat. June 15, 2013 POLK CITY, FL.- December 20, 1917 - May 8, 2013 Chester Gordon Hale, Lt. Col, USAF (Ret.), 95, Formerly of Lansing, MI, passed away at home in Polk City, Fl. on Wednesday, May 8, 2013. He was born at home in Saranac, MI, December 20, 1917 to the late Gordon and Leotis (Cave) Hale. His family moved to Lansing where Chester attended public school. He graduated from Lansing Eastern High School. As a child, Chet loved airplanes. His love of flying led to a 26 year career in the U.S. Air Force. After enlisting in the Army in 1942, he was accepted into the Aviation Cadet Program for two years of pre-flight training. In 1944, after completing flight training, Chester received his commission as an officer in the Army Air Force. During World War Two, Chester served in the Western Pacific in the 2nd Combat Cargo Group flying twin-engine cargo planes. He also served in the Korean Conflict and Vietnam. As a pilot in the USAF Strategic Air Command (SAC), he was stationed at a number of U.S. airbases and many overseas temporary duty assignments. Chester retired from the Air Force in May, 1968. At that time, he was 51 years old and Commander of the 912th Air Refueling Squadron, Robins AFB, Warner Robins, Ga. Chet was a life member of the VFW, American Legion and AOPA, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. After retiring, Chet and Ruth, his wife of 70 years, moved north to Indian River, MI and began their second career as "professional RVers" converting several commercial busses into Class A motor homes. As members of the Family Motor Coach Association, they spent 30 plus years "on the road" exploring the USA with their FMCA friends. When they "really retired" Chet and Ruth built a home in Mount Olive Shores in Polk City, Florida. Chester was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth C. (Norman) Hale; sister, Rowena E. Burkett, Lansing, MI; brother, Donald C. Hale, Lansing, MI and Perry, GA; grandson, Brennan C. Hale, Marietta, GA; and first wife, Virginia Hagerty, Lansing, MI. He is survived by two sons from his marriage to Virginia; Robert G. (Marsha) Hale, Rockford, MI, Douglas E. (Bette Jeanne) Hale, Bath, MI; and three children from his marriage to Ruth: Norman L. (Laurel Lynch) Palmetto, FL, Laurie L. (Paul Lee) Jones, Seffner, FL, and John A. (Kelly-Ann Morgan_) Jupiter, FL; and six grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren; and five great- great grandchildren. A graveside service is scheduled at the Saranac Cemetery at 12 p.m. Sunday, June 30, 2013 followed at 1 p.m. by a remembrance get together at Keiser's restaurant in Lowell, MI. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256 or online at www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/h/hale29392nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 3.4 Kb