Roen Hale Obituary (1932 - 2021)

Roen A. Hale Roen A. Hale died December 3, 2021. He was born October 14, 1932, at 2 o’clock a.m. to Louis Holbert (Whitey) and Lois Angelia Allred Hale in Afton, Wyoming. He is the last one to pass in a family of eight boys and one girl. Roen was a true American who was able to survive the hardships of life, follow his dreams and become a business leader in the steel fabrication industry. He had the ability to coordinate business projects that drew admiration and respect from his peers. He married Elaine Rainey in 1950 (later divorced) and they immediately moved to Salt Lake City. He had just graduated high school and was ready to slay the world. He started as a clerk typist for Lange Company and eventually became their best salesman. He was on commission and surpassed the president’s salary! He moved on to the Graver Company and was transferred to St. Louis. He and Elaine moved their five boys (Tim came later) and lived in St. Louis for a year. When Graver wanted to transfer him to New York City he said that was no place to raise five boys. He decided to move back to Salt Lake City. He worked for Titan Steel for a time before he joined Simpson Steel as a partner. He climbed the ladder – he was an entrepreneur. He was salesman, vice president, president and eventually chairman of the board for Simpson Steel. He pioneered another company, Crossroads Construction, which is still in existence. In 1988, he married Judy Torp. He gained two bonus daughters, two dogs, a cat, and some fish in the union. He wasn’t sure he was up to the task of being a father to Judy’s young children, but he was the best. He always celebrated their marriage with the girls because they told him it was their anniversary too. Roen was a deer hunter, and a pheasant hunter with his dog Yo and the group of friends who went to Idaho hunting for about 6 weeks in the fall. Roen was a master fisherman, and a lover of everything outdoors. He was truly one of the first who felt we should treasure our land and natural surroundings. He was an amateur astronomer who participated in the building of the Stansbury Observatory or SPOC as the astronomers call it. Roen was a gambler and a calculated risk taker. He was a jokester and loved a good pun. Roen enjoyed a good book. He read everything from C. J. Box to Einstein. His library consists of over 300 books. He loved music and loved to sing. He especially loved to sing to Judy and his grandchildren. He was a poet and would share his love of poetry by writing poems and sharing them with the family, especially during camping trips when he would make possibly the best oatmeal he had ever made. He loved his home state of Wyoming. He is survived by his wife, Judy. He is also survived by his children Curtis (Joy), Jed (John), Brent, Robert (Robbin), Tim (Amy), Kenna (Eddie), Danielle (Dan) and his ex-wife Elaine. He was preceded in death by his parents, his siblings, his son, Kelly, and his dog, Yo. He has many, many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even a few great, great grandchildren. He loved them all. The family is forever grateful for the services that Solstice Home Health provided to him and his family; especially, Amy, Shaun, and Lily. Thank you for the tender care you provided to Roen and our family. Services will be at Jenkins-Soffe, 4760 South State Street, Murray, UT. There will be a viewing Friday, December 10 at 10 a.m. with services following at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Murray Cemetery. In lieu of flowers you may make a donation to Salt Lake Astronomical Society (SLAS). http://slas.us/Payments/PayDues.asp Please go to the pay dues page, go to the donation line item. Choose the amount you would like to donate. You may also mail any donation to: SLAS, 472 Country Club, Stansbury Park, UT 84074. Or please choose a charity of your choice. We will miss our fun-loving guy who always wanted the best for everyone. May he rest in peace.