Donald Hale

Donald Ray Hale, 77, born December 23, 1930, passed away on February 24, 2008, at Lee’s Summit Medical Center, surrounded by his family. Services will be at 10:00 am, Friday, February 29, at Speaks Suburban Chapel, Independence, MO; burial in Lee’s Summit Historical Cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8:00pm Thursday at the Chapel. Don was born to Lester L. Hale and Dorothy H. (Studeville) Hale in Leeds, Missouri. He spent part of his youth in Louisburg, Kansas, though graduated from Central High School, Kansas City, 1949. Don was a proud Korean War veteran, serving in the Army from 1951-54 as an anti-aircraft gunner, firing the first atomic cannon, and participating in atomic bomb tests in Nevada. He returned to become a pressman at Hallmark cards, retiring after 37 years. A life-long scrapbooker and collector, he documented his family’s history through photos, research, and memorabilia. His discovery in 1957 that his maternal great grandfather, James Newton Vaughn, was at the battle of Lone Jack in 1862 and later rode with Quantrill, set him on a path of discovery. One friend calls Don “the man who invented Quantrill studies,” resulting in the first book to challenge long-held beliefs about Quantrill, We Rode With Quantrill. Don also authored the first book about an infamous Quantrill associate, They Called Him Bloody Bill. Further research about the Missouri-Kansas Border War resulted in many other books, including The William Clark Quantrill Men Reunions, Branded as Rebels (3 volumes), and Missouri Civil War Miscellany (5 volumes). He also authored many historical articles in The KC Star, The Independence Examiner, and historical publications. He placed grave markers for Bill Anderson and his sister, Josephine Anderson, as well as a marker for the wife of Quantrill, Kate King. Don was honored by being a pallbearer for the reburial of Quantrill bones and the Jesse James reburial. Don became the founding president of the Willliam Clarke Quantrill Society in 1998. At the same time, he served until recently as the president of the Lee’s Summit Historical Society, writing five volumes documenting Lee’s Summit history, 1830-1992. Don was a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Civil War Roundtable of Western Missouri, Friends of the Youngers, Jackson County Historical Society, former board member of Friends of the James Farm, and a lifetime member of the State Historical Society of Missouri and Kansas. Don was also a Mason, Sheffield Lodge No. 625. He was honored in 2006 with the John Newman Edwards Award for outstanding effort to promote, publicize and chronicle the legend of Jesse James and the Civil War era in Clay County.While Don is remembered for his dedication over the last 50 years for documenting local history, his family will remember him most for his caring, gentle ways and easy laugh. He did much to be proud of, but he was most proud of family: wife Phyllis J. (Pedrow) Hale; children Raymond and Dixie Hale, Gail and Paul Barham; granddaughters Jessica Hale and Jennifer and Matt Setter; great granddaughters Rayleigh and Jade Setter. In lieu of flowers, family suggests donations to Lee’s Summit or Jackson County Historical Society or the William Clarke Quantrill Society. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.speakschapel.com. (Arr: Speaks Suburban Chapel. 816-373-3600)

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