Robert Hale
December 25, 1934 - October 09, 2023
Obituary
Robert (Bob) S. Hale of Billings, MT, and Fairbanks, AK passed away peacefully in Billings, MT surrounded by his family on October 9, 2023.
Bob was born on 12/25/34 to Robert C. Hale and Norma Gamble Hale Hamp in Salmon, ID, and raised by his grandparents, Martha Elizabeth Plott (Lizzy) and Jim Hale north of Salmon at Wagonhammer Springs.
After adding a few years to his tender age of 16 to qualify for enlistment, he joined the Army and served in Korea as a medical corpsman. While at boot camp at Fort Chaffee, AR, he met and married the love of his life, Wanda DeCanter. Over the next few years, they welcomed 4 children, two boys and two girls.
Bob had several occupations. He built swimming pools, worked in the logging industry, and used his skills as a concrete mason in the construction of the John Day Dam in Oregon. His love of trucks led him to his lifetime career. With Wanda at his side, they trucked to and from Alaska and back and forth across the country hauling everything from heavy equipment to a full-sized, mounted elephant, and even Italian-made tile for the White House. If it would fit in a semi-trailer or could be chained to a lowboy, he could haul it. He moved his family to Alaska in 1975 where he worked on the North Slope hauling heavy equipment and pipe from Valdez to Prudhoe Bay and working as a diesel mechanic for the building of the Trans Alaska Pipeline. His CB handle was “Montana Bob”, and that was how he was known up and down the Alaska-Canada (ALCAN) Highway and across the US.
He loved fishing in Valdez with his family and friends spending many happy times aboard his boat. He always had a good joke or a story to tell and genuinely loved talking with others about his travels and family.
He was so loved and will be terribly missed by those who called him Bobby, Dad, Grampa, Grampa-great, Big Papa, and friend.
Bob is preceded in death by his son James R. Hale, two brothers, Ben and Fred Hale, and sister Elaine Warnberg. He is survived by his wife and soulmate of 71 years, Wanda. Son, Mark Hale (Maggie) of Billings. Daughters, Connie Hale Walker (Brent) of Litchfield Park, AZ, and Vonda Hale Billeter (Donny) of Orofino, ID. His sister, Martha Hamp. Six grandchildren; Scott Gleason, Robert T. Hale, Katrina Gleason Kelley, Sean Hale, Brooke Hale Yates, and Holly Hale Zimmerman along with 18 great-grandchildren; Keagan, Odin, Bridger, Achilles, Isaiah, Tristan, Anni, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Zara, Mathew, Quinn, Kolter, Dyllan, Kalle, Reagan, Owen and Hayes.
Viewing for family and friends will be Thursday, Oct 12th from 2 pm to 5 pm at Dahl Funeral Chapel in Billings.
A Celebration of life will be held at a later date.