Vincent Stewart Hale, 97, of Dowagiac, died Friday, April 23, 2010, at Forest Glen Assisted Living. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service is planned for June 28, 2010, at the Federated Covenant Church in Dowagiac.

Vince was born in Mingo Junction, Ohio, on May 29, 1912, to Arthur O. Hale and Emma (Stewart) Hale.

He married Martha King in Coshocton, Ohio, on June 29, 1936. She died in 1976.
In 1980, he married Isabel Varley in Florida. She had been a college friend many years earlier. She died in 1995.

He graduated from Muskingum College in 1934 and then with a master’s degree from Ohio State University in 1935.

Vince began working for W.T. Grant Co. in Saginaw, Mich. He became a store manager quickly and moved frequently between Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio.

In 1958, he left Grant’s and bought a hardware store in Dowagiac, known as Hale’s Hardware. This store is now run by his son, Tom, and his sons.

He is survived by: his children, Jacqueline (Herb) Burden of Traverse City, Patricia (Richard) Muessig of Dowagiac, Thomas of Dowagiac and Linda Weber of Los Angeles, Calif.; his grandchildren, Bruce Burden, Chris Burden, Andrea (Todd) Cook, Patrick (Carrie) Muessig, Ronnie (Jacqueline) Hale, Randy (Jodi) Hale, Cori (John) Phelps and Erin Weber; and great-grandchildren, Avery Cook, Claudia Muessig, Brenden Muessig, Kathryn Hale, Alexis Hale, Vendela Hale and Dallas Hale.

Vince was a member of Kiwanis, Lions Club, Elks Club and The Federated Church.
Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Martha Louise Hale scholarship at Southwestern Michigan College.

Arrangements are being handled by Yazel and Clark Chapel.

Please sign his guestbook and leave a memory of Vince at www.yazel-clark.com.