Chester Kellogg Hale Sr., 94, of Rockland, passed away peacefully April 13 at St. Andrews Nursing Home in Boothbay Harbor.
Chet was born Sept. 7, 1921 in Middletown, Conn. where he grew up living and working on the family’s shade tobacco farms. He graduated in 1940 from Suffield Academy and attended Middlebury College, Vt. where he met his first wife, Miriam Fleming. He served three years in the U.S. Army, two of which he spent overseas in France and Germany during WWII. He was a part of the 894th Anti-aircraft Artillery Division and a Colonel’s driver. After his honorable discharge in January 1946, Chet returned to Connecticut where he served 11 years as a farm superintendent for Consolidated Cigar Corp. In 1957 the family moved to Rome, Penn. where they operated a dairy farm the next 25 years. While operating the dairy farm he served on a number of agricultural boards and agencies. It was during this time he earned his pilot’s license and enjoyed flying his Piper Cub and Cherokee 270.
In April of 1984 Chet married Muriel Plimpton. During retirement he and Muriel enjoyed traveling while also spending winters in Fort Myers, Fla. and summers in Owls Head. He enjoyed painting, golf, playing cards, and spending time with friends. Chet had a love for life and people.
He was predeceased by his parents, C. Harry and Dorothy Douglas Hale; brother, Douglas Hale; daughter, Lucinda Hale; and step‐daughter Marilyn O’Connor.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Muriel Plimpton Hale; children, Deborah Barrett, Chester K. (Sharon) Hale Jr., and Jeffrey (Diane Miner) Hale; stepdaughters, Susan (Michael Shook) Plimpton, Sherry (Gerard) Blouin, Caroline Barre Plimpton, and Jayne P. (Glenn J.) Dwyer; brother, Nathan Hale; sisters, Dorothy Simpson and Ann Hale; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren.
A memorial service and celebration of Chet’s life will be held 10:30 a.m., Thurs., May 19 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 15 Wesley Lane, off Rt. 17, Rockland. The Rev. Linda Campbell‐Marshall will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Aldersgate UMC, 15 Wesley Lane, Rockland, ME 04841, or Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter, 383 U.S. Route One, Scarborough, ME 04074.
To share a memory or story with Chet’s family, please visit his Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com.
Funeral arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter & Hutchins, Rockland.
