Bessie Fay Hale, 71, of Robinson, IL, died at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 7, 2004, at Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson. She was born at her home November 5, 1933 near Oblong, IL, the daughter of Benjamin Edmond Mendenhall and Connie May (Smith) Mendenhall. She had been a member of the Plymouth Congregational Church for many years.
She married Charles "Rusty" Edgar Hale on July 14, 1950 and he preceded her in death on September 13, 1993. She was also preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Edna Scott; and 4 brothers, Othel "Chub" Mendenhall, Earl "Pinky" Mendenhall, Purl Mendenhall, and Benjamin "Bennie" Mendenhall.
Bessie is survived by her two daughters and sons-in-law, Sharon Fay and William Clifford Kirkham, Sycamore, and D'Andra Kaye and Steven Ray Lawhead; her son and daughter-in-law, Charles William Hale and Gina Alane (Meek) Hale, all of Robinson. She is also survived by four grandchildren, Kendra Fay Kirkham, Sycamore, Joshua Hale and his wife Amanda Kirkham, Oxford, Wisconsin, John William Hale, Robinson, and Benjamin Zachary Levi Lawhead, Robinson; 2 great grandchildren, Joshua Harrison Kirkham and Justine Hadley Kirkham, Oxford, Wisconsin; one sister, Ruby Gay Bex, Terre Haute, IN, 2 brothers and sisters-in-law, Earnie and Neva Mendenhall, Oblong and Smith "Buster" and Wanda Mendenhall, Mt. Sterling; 4 sisters-in-law, Mildred Mendenhall, Ruth Mendenhall, Thelma Mendenhall, and Edna Mendenhall; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In her youth Bessie lived at Greenbriar, South Bend, IN, Lamotte Prairie, and Palestine, all in Crawford County. She was very active in church and spent her formative years with her family on the farm. As a teenager, she worked as a waitress at the Marine Café in Palestine, where she first met her husband, "Rusty". After her marriage, she stayed at home and raised her three children. Later, she was employed by Wayne and Debbie McGlone of Robinson. She cared for their two children, Michael and Amanda McGlone for 14 years and thought of them as part of her family. Bessie also enjoyed caring for her grandsons, Benjamin Lawhead and John Hale for many years.
Funeral services are at 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 10, 2004 at the Goodwine Funeral Home, Robinson, IL with minister in charge Dr. Joseph Kunzelman. Burial will be in the Kirk Cemetery. Visitation is from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, December 9th. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Diabetes Association with envelopes available at the funeral home.