Lawrence David Hale

Lawrence David Hale passed away peacefully at home on November 11, 2026, at the age of 96.

Lawrence, known to many as L.D., was born on May 26, 1930, in Leonard, Oklahoma, to Virgil

Monroe Hale and Rilla (McCutcheon) Hale. He grew up in Porter, Oklahoma, and graduated

from Porter Schools in 1948.

L.D. enlisted in the U.S. Navy and, after boot camp, served at the Naval Hospital at Mare Island,

California. He was selected for Fleet Marine training and went on to serve in Korea as a Navy

combat corpsman with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. He was proud of his service and could

often be seen wearing his Korean War veteran hat.

After returning from Korea, L.D. attended Northeastern State, where he earned his master’s

degree. He married Idalene Gritts in October 1955, and they moved to Tulsa and Stroud before settling in

Claremore in 1971. He taught high school algebra and geometry for Tulsa Public Schools until

his retirement in 1985.

When school was out, L.D. drove charter buses for M.K.&O and Jefferson Lines. Schools and

track clubs often asked for him by name to take their bands, teams, and cheerleaders across

the country for parades and competitions.

L.D. loved his family deeply, and some of his happiest times were spent simply being together.

Later in life, he found his favorite job in being Pawpaw. With his quiet nature and quick wit, he

was a natural.

L.D. was preceded in death by his parents, Virgil and Rilla Hale, his wife, Ida, his daughter,

Jennifer, and his son, David. He was also preceded in death by his brothers and their wives,

Weldon and Estalee, Donnell and June, Bob and Pat, Ken and Nedra, and Virgil and Bessie, as

well as his brother-in-law, Marvin Hird.

He is survived by his children, Amanda Hardwick and her husband Gary, Jonna Anderson and

her husband Jody, John Hale, Dianne Hale, and Jeff Hale and Patricia. His grandchildren are

Nathan Anderson and his wife Sally, Amelya Wilmott and her husband Matt, Alexandra

Hardwick, Haley Hardwick, Julia Hale, Max Hale, Elena Hale, Austin Blower and his husband

Bobby, and Trey Hale. His great-grandchildren Jack Wilmott and Theo Wilmott, and Zoe and

Bohdi Anderson.

He is also survived by his sister, Jerry Hird, his brother, Jack Hale and wife, Gloria, his

sister-in-law, Charlotte Farar, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.