Ruth Carlton Hale

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Ruth Carlton Hale, 86, of Burdette passed away peacefully on Feb. 27, 2020.

Ruth was born in Griffin, Ga., in 1934. She graduated from Blytheville High School in 1951 and then attended Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans. Later, she transferred to the University of Arkansas where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education and went on to receive a Master of Science in Library Service from Columbia University in New York City. 

Upon graduation Ruth moved to Austin, Texas, where she worked as a librarian at the University of Texas. She later moved to Atlanta, Ga., as an archivist in Georgia Tech’s library. After her retirement, she returned to her beloved home in Burdette.

Ruth volunteered countless hours at the Delta Gateway Museum in Blytheville and Mississippi County Museum in Osceola. She was a prolific reader of all types of literature and appreciated classical music. Ruth was the epitome of a historian. She worked tirelessly to have architecture from her hometown of Burdette preserved on the historic register. She archived and preserved everything from historic documents and local buildings to a box of photos, clippings, and awards for each and every family member.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George Albert Hale Sr. and Sara Tompkins Hale, of Burdette. She leaves a brother, George Albert Hale Jr.; a niece, Charlee Hale Moore and her husband Tim; nephew, George A. "Trey" Hale III and his wife Stephanie, all of Burdette; five great nieces and nephews, Sara Allison Goff and her husband JT, Kathryn Hale Knuth and her husband Chad, Christopher Gregory Predmore, George Albert "Bo" Hale IV and Kate Stevenson Hale; five great-great-nieces and nephews Leah Jett Goff, John Oliver Goff, Layla Lynn Huffman, Luke Bennett Knuth and Braxton Hale Predmore.

Funeral services were Monday, March 2, at 12 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Zach Roberts officiating. The family received visitors at the church from 11 a.m. until service time. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the Delta Gateway Museum in Blytheville or the Mississippi County Historical Museum in Osceola. Condolences may be expressed to the family at www.cobbfuneralhome.com.