Clara Janette “Mickey” Hale, 89, of Festus, formerly of St. Louis, died Aug. 20, 2020, at Crystal Oaks Nursing Center in Festus. Mrs. Hale graduated from Farmington High School and did her undergraduate work at Lee College in Cleveland, Tenn., and Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau before earning a master’s degree in education from Webster University. She taught third and fifth grades in Farmington and Hillsboro, from where she retired in 1985. She was an avid reader who enjoyed novels and the St. Louis Post Dispatch. After retirement, she enjoyed watching the birds in the back-ard woods along with her two miniature poodles, Dolly and Darla. She was born Dec. 25, 1930, in St. Louis, the daughter of the late James Edward and Beulah Jane (Clay) Harrington. She was preceded in death by her husband: Larry Hale.
She is survived by a daughter: Jody Fernandez of St. Louis; two sons: Daniel (Gloria) Williams of New London, Mo., and Gary Williams of Imperial; three sisters: Barbara Edwina “Eddie” (the late Dan) Alcorn, Eva (Ronnie) Simms and Beulah Ann (David) McCreery; seven grandchildren: Daniel (Stacee) Fernandez, Robin (Geffen) Liberman, Amy Fernandez, Cory Fernandez, Carrie (Brad) Bisgard, Kellina Williams and Ian Williams; 11 great-grandchildren: Mia, Mason, Fletcher, Forrest, Leia, Jake, Adrian, Elliott, Salem, Gideon and Zoe; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by a sister: Ellen Caroline Odell.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Memorials may be made to the Audubon Society. Arrangements were under the direction of Cozean Memorial Chapel in Farmington.