Jean Hale Obituary

Jean Antoinette Wilcox Hale was born on Sept. 1, 1944, in Woodbury, NJ, to Jean Kelley Wilcox and Harry Ketchum Wilcox. Her middle name, Antoinette, was a reflection of her father's military service in WWII in France. Her nickname of Toni came from Antoinette. After spending her early elementary years in Woodbury, the family moved to Greensburg, PA, where she attended and graduated from Greensburg-Salem High School. From there she proceeded to attend Penn State University. It was there that she met and married Robert M. Hale. Married in November 1963, they began an adventure that included seven states and 14 addresses. They were blessed with two great children, Lisa Ann and Jeffrey Wilcox. Never one to simply sit still and watch the world go by, at each place we put our luggage down, she reached out to others and involved herself in activities and support groups, and this included when Bob was serving in the Navy, working in rehabilitation counseling, or serving as a pastor. Part of this transition was helping her children through their lives and education. But in these settings, she also found her success in retail management, banking, and earning her real estate license. With her sense of other people's needs, she actively volunteered and worked as a nurse's aide for Lutheran Social Services in Hanover. During her husband's time in the Navy, she volunteered in Navy Relief offices. She was a faithful servant on the church Fellowship Board and worked with the quilters and made baby blankets. But her most active life was in her crafts, which included knitting baby blankets, working with the quilters, crocheting, and creating homemade cards for family and friends. For those who knew her, she was a compassionate person with a sense of humor. Each place she landed, she developed friendships that have lasted through the years. She is survived by her husband, Pastor Bob Hale; two children, Lisa Hale Sipes (Jeff) and Jeffrey Wilcox Hale (Kerry); two grandsons, Benjamin Wilcox Hale and Nicholas McSweeney Hale; a sister, Deborah Wilcox Reese (Terry); a niece, Heather Reese Clemens (Jamie); and nephews, Jonathan Reese (Molly) and Tyler Reese (Heidi). She will be greatly missed. A memorial service for Jean will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Advent Lutheran Church, 2156 Loch Rane Blvd., Orange Park, FL. Inurnment will be at 10 a.m. (Lane 3) Monday, June 23, 2025, at Jacksonville National Cemetery, located at 4083 Lannie Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218. 377614