Robert Hale

Robert "Bob" Hale (94) died on October 10, 2021 surrounded by his loving family in Louisville, KY. Bob had lived courageously with complications of Alzheimer's and heart issues for several years.

He was born on March 7, 1927, to Edmund and Martha (Wendt) Hoffrogge in Cincinnati, Ohio. Bob married Lorraine Metz (the love of his life) on June 9,1951. They lived happily together in three states nearby the Ohio River, and in Florida. They first lived together in Cincinnati for nearly 21 years, then relocated in 1972 to Jeffersonville, Indiana where they lived for 13 years. Upon Bob's retirement in 1985 (58 years young), Bob and Lorraine moved to Englewood, Florida, where they enjoyed an active and fun life for nearly 30 years. In 2014 they moved to Louisville, Kentucky to Brownsboro Park Retirement Community and in 2017 to Belmont Village Senior Living, to be close to their large loving, caring family (beloved daughters Debbie and Denise lived in the Louisville area).

Bob was a Boy Scout, graduated from Elder High School in Cincinnati and served his country in the U.S. Air Corps as World War II was winding down. After discharge from the Service, Bob began a lengthy career with the US Postal Service and Corps of Engineers. Bob first provided many years of competent, loyal and reliable service, primarily as a letter carrier and in the parcel post area. The latter portion of his postal service was as an Architect's Assistant and Project Manager in the division responsible for building, remodeling and inspecting post office buildings in small towns in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. This functional area was moved to the Corps of Engineers in 1971, which resulted in the family relocating to the Louisville KY area in 1972.

Bob and Lorraine were involved with their children in the important aspects of their formative years, including attending church and grade school at St. Teresa of Avila in Cincinnati. After work, Bob was busy helping the kids with homework, packing lunches, and getting the kids prepared for bedtime. On the weekends, Bob became the family cook, and all sorts of family gatherings and meals with extended family were the norm. Bob was a leader in the Cub Scouts while his boys were active and supported his sons in the Boy Scouts, including one Eagle Scout. The family enjoyed many annual family camping vacations and Sunfish sailing. Enjoyable weekend family visits with Bob's sister's (Janet Fohl) family in Cedar Grove, Indiana were commonplace. Bob and his brother Ralph also arranged and participated in special annual "stag" campouts and boating with their sons. Swimming at nearby Phillips Swim Club a block behind the house in Cincinnati, weekend picnics, hiking, ball games etc. provided lots of great family time and exercise. Bob's boating hobby progressed to owning and sailing small catamarans (Venture and Hobie Cat), with family in Southern Indiana, and on trips with Lorraine to Florida.

Bob's post retirement hobbies included walking, tennis, boating, shuffleboard, bocce ball, kite flying at the beach, bowling, roller blading, bicycling, golfing, and watching Cincinnati Reds baseball. Bob was always up for a family game of cards (as was his Dad, who actively played family card games into his upper nineties). Dedicated, hardworking, dependable, loyal, resilient and committed to marriage and fatherhood are some of the qualities Bob lived and passed on to his family.

Bob is survived by his wife of 70 years, Lorraine, and his six children, Tom (Terry) Hale of Norwood, OH, Jim (Missy) Hale of Marietta, GA, Robert (Roseanna) Hale of North Fort Myers, FL, Debbie (Jim) Allgood of Prospect, KY, Dan (Carmen) Hale of Frisco, TX, and Denise (Eric) Bishop of Henryville, IN. His grandchildren and great grandchildren were a major source of joy and pride. Bob is survived by his 16 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren: Philip (Cathy) Hale – children Sarah, Josh, Samantha, Dominic and MaryElla; Matt (Carly) Hale – children Cecilia, Miriam, Sam, Lucy, Ana and Gus; Ben (Corey) Hale - children Lucas, Adam, Caleb and Theo; Maria J. Hale; Katherine (TJ) Wolfe, Tim Hale; Stephen Hale; Sarah (Christopher) Brady – daughters Ellis Anne and Hayden; Jason (Ashley) Hale - children John, Matthew and Clara; David (Emily) Hale – children Crow and Autumn; Michael Hale, Maria C. Hale; Anthony Hale; Lisa (Brad) Sutherland - sons Bryton and Hank; Nick(Taylor) Bishop – sons Connor and Zane; and Alan (Tiffany) Bishop – daughter Isla.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Edmund and Martha; his brother, Ralph Hale, his sister, Janet Fohl and his beloved great grandson, Hank Sutherland, who touched Bob's heart in a special way.

Bob's family thanks the staff and leadership of Belmont Village of St. Matthews, the staff of Hosparus Health of Louisville, and a loving granddaughter, for providing excellent loving care, as well as fun and stimulating activities that Bob enjoyed during the last four years of his life.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to: Norton Children's Hospital Foundation to support Mitochondrial research (https://www.hankstrong.org); Alzheimer's Association -Greater Kentucky/ Southern Indiana Chapter, (https://www.alz.org/kyin) or to Hosparus Health of Louisville (https://www.hosparus.org)

A Mass of Resurrection will be held at St. Teresa of Avila Church, 1175 Overlook Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45238 on Saturday, October 23, at 11:00 am with interment immediately following. A luncheon reception will immediately follow in St. Teresa's Avila Hall.