Donald Lancing Hale's Obituary
Donald Lancing Hale
June 29, 1966 - April 29, 2026
"Courage is not having the strength to go on: It is going on when you don't have the strength"
Donald Lancing Hale was born June 29, 1966, in Enid, Oklahoma to Alva and Theresa Hale and went to his heavenly home on April 29, 2026. Donny spent his childhood in the Enid and Covington area where he loved to spend time with his sister and cousins, running the farm on horseback and swimming and fishing in the nearby lake. Donny loved sports and was a talented athlete.
He graduated from Covington-Douglas High School in 1984. He attended OSU for a time, when he met Jackie Jarvis. They married and moved to Cleora, Oklahoma and later Welch, Oklahoma where he raised his boys Brandon and Brenton. He loved anything outdoors, especially hunting and fishing with his sons.
Don worked in security at Eastern State Hospital and a juvenile detention center. During that time, he went to vo-tech and became a nurse then later to NEO to become a physical therapy assistant. He worked in health care for 30 plus years until his retirement.
Don met Linda Young, and they were together for 29 years, intertwining and raising their children and enjoying their grandchildren. He loved attending as many of his grandchildren's events as he could and took great joy in watching them flourish.
Don was an OSU Cowboy through and through that bled orange. Go Pokes! He was proud of his black belt achievement in Mong Su Dom Tai Chinese Karate. He also enjoyed history and learning about places and cultures around the world and was fiercely passionate about politics.
Don was a member of the Welch Christian Church and was baptized into the body of Christ in March of 1993 and although he faced major health challenges since he was 10, he held fast to his faith and always knew that God was with him. Don was a double transplant recipient, a gift that gave him many more years with his family. He faced every challenge with unmatched courage and determination. He had the fighting spirit of a warrior and left a legacy of pure grit, perseverance, and deep love. His family is forever grateful for his life. If you ever considered organ donation, do so in his honor - your gift could change a family's life.
Don is survived by his wife Linda; parents, Alva and Theresa Hale; children, Brandon Hale and Amanda Kerby Hemphill, Brenton and Rachel Hale, Hayden and Rani Hall, and Jeff Young and Haley Bell; grandchildren, Hadlee, Henleigh, Stephen, Harper, Olivia, and Myles, whom he adored. He is also survived by his sister, Cindy and her husband Jim Bell, and brother Robert Don Hicks, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Neal and Ida Hale, and Don and Nellie Andrews and nephew, Christoper Mullen.
Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Thomas & Chenoweth Funeral Home in Welch, Oklahoma.
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