A roll call of local black clergymen and elected officials took part
in the service of memory for one who had long distinguished himself in
their ranks, the Rev. Phale D. Hale Sr.
His funeral took place at Union Grove Baptist Church, 266 N. Champion
Ave., where he served as pastor from 1950-1993.
The Rev. Joel King, assistant pastor at Union Grove, presided. Hale
had long been a friend of the King family, including his fellow
Morehouse College graduate, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
One of the preachers who could match Hale's wit, the Rev. Leon Troy,
pastor emeritus of Second Baptist Church said, "A Morehouse man was
dethroned by a Spelman woman."
Troy was referring to Hale's wife of 65 years, Cleo.
Remarks by pastors, politicians and family members portrayed the
Hale's significance in local, state and black history.
Only a fraction of the clergymen present spoke, but those who did
remembered Hale for such things at bringing as the annual Simultaneous
Revival to the city and encouraging pastors to be active in Boy
Scouts. They also acknowledged his role in helping blacks gain
employment in jobs that previously had been all-white. They remembered
him as an advocate for the disenfranchised who treated the sacred and
secular as one.
City Councilmember Charleta Tavares described Hale's pioneering
efforts as a black Democratic state representative, with the
Democratic National Committee and with the Ohio Civil Rights
Commission.
State Rep. W. Carlton Wedding spoke pridefully of being in the line of
black Dems who have succeeded Hale as state representatives in what is
now the 27th District.
Mayor Michael B. Coleman spoke not only as a politician, but also as
the husband of the former Frankie Young, the first person christened
by Hale at Union Grove.
"I love him," Coleman said, "But our city and our residents should be
grateful as well because he made this city better because of his
life."
Before catching a plane back to New York, the Rev. Hycel Taylor
reminded mourners that the occasion need not have the somber tone of a
funeral resulting from a drive-by shooting or some other tragedy.
"This is a celebration of a life well lived," he said.
Illness prevented the Rev. Phale D. Hale Jr. from attending the
service, but the other three children, Marna, Janice and Hilton were
present.
Hilton didn't follow his father's career path, but pulled out the
ministerial tones in reciting the senior Hale's favorite poem The
Tree.
In recent years, when people saw Phale Hale Sr. in public, such as at
the Ward Family YMCA's Thursday Noon Lunch Club, they usually saw
Hilton too.
"I was blessed to spend quality time with my father in his sunset
years," Hilton said. "We talked about many thngs. We talked about
tough times and dealing with difficult people."
The early-rising habit that Hale developed during his childhood on a
farm in Greenwood, Miss., continued throughout his life, much to the
dismay of Marna when she was growing up. Her father's rising at 5 a.m.
meant she had to get up at 7 to iron his shirts.She now sees the
wisdom of an early start and how it enables her to get more done each
day.
Those who didn't live in the neighborhood might not have known of
Hale's famous barbecue sauce. The aroma of each batch lured neighbors,
jars at the ready, to carry home a portion.
Don't be surprised if there's a family business marketing the
much-sought product.
And the neighbors said,
Amen.