Hale DeRay Mecham
May 21, 1925 - Sept. 01, 2003
Visitation: Sept. 03, 2003
Service: Sept. 04, 2003
Interment: Centerville City Cemetery, Utah
Hale DeRay Mecham, 5/21/25, Beaver, Utah, -- 9/1/03 Centerville, Utah:
On September 1, 2003 heaven opened its doors to welcome home our precious father, husband, uncle and friend. Hale DeRay Mecham, 77, passed away at his home from Parkinson's Disease, surrounded by the love of his family. Hale was born May 21, 1925 to Leonard Lucius and Ella Langston Mecham in Beaver, Utah. He was raised in Salina, Utah and moved to Grantsville, Utah in his senior year, where he graduated from High School. He served in the United States Navy during World War II and later moved to Salt Lake City, where he re-united with his high school sweetheart Virginia Ditlevsen.
Hale and Virginia later married in the Salt Lake LDS temple on June 18, 1947. Together they helped to raise Virginia's brothers and sisters. They later moved to Bountiful, Utah where they lovingly raised two daughters Debra Rae “Debbie” Mecham (now, Mrs. Don Holman Piepgrass) and Julie Denise Mecham. Hale also had a special bond throughout his life with his nephew, Evan Mecham. The home they created became a haven where those in need found unconditional love, acceptance, and peace. Once Debbie and Denise married and left home, Hale lost his beloved wife of 38 years to cancer, Nov. 22, 1986, in Bountiful, Utah.
Hale was blessed with the love of a second family, when he met and fell in love with Hanna Mae DelQuadro. Young again and in love, they courted one another over several years and married each other on June 1, 1996. They moved to Centerville, Utah where they continued to share their love with their combined families. Hale adored his new children, Dwayne, Debra, and Karen Delquadro, Sharalee Ann Trudeau, and Connie. Together Hanna Mae and Hale opened their arms welcoming all their children, 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren into their life of love.
Hale had such a love of life. His charismatic smile and fun-loving, giving attitude touched the lives of all who knew him, especially his friends at the Flour Mill, who golfed weekly with him. Hale loved golfing, telling jokes, dancing, music, reading history and self-help books, sporting events, boxing, and sharing his love with family, friends, neighbors, and church members. Hale tactfully kept in touch with many relatives and friends. He was also known as a peacemaker. Throughout his life, he worked as a flour miller and union president and was an active member of the LDS church. He will be greatly missed.
His wife Hanna Mae, "Ann", and his seven children survive him. He was preceded in death by his first wife Virginia, and his brothers and sister: Max, Charles, Laurence "Larry", Kay, and LeRoy. Funeral services will be held at the Centerville Ricks Creek Chapel on September 4, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. located at 1461 North Main, Centerville. Family and friends may call on the evening of September 3, 2003 at the Russon Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, from 6 to 8 p.m. and also on Thursday, September 4, 2003 from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the funeral service. Burial will be held at the Centerville Cemetery following the funeral service. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.russonmortuary.com where a direction map is also available.
A (similar) obituary was published in the Deseret News / Salt Lake Tribune 2003 (Written by his daughter, J. Denise Mecham). --This version was edited by Debra Rae “Debbie” (Mecham) Piepgrass
(Note: As of 2013, the Hale DeRay Mecham Memorial Obituary, 2003, could still be found online at the Russon Mortuary link by inclusion of a news obituary archive link, if you leave out which city.)
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