Dorothy Rose Hale, 84 of Coldwater passed away on Sunday, June 05, 2016 at the Community Health Center of Branch County after a courageous battle with cancer while surrounded by family and friends.

A funeral service will take place at 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 9 at Dutcher Funeral Home in Coldwater with Pastor Dave Anderson of the Coach Eby Youth and Family Center officiating. Visitation will be prior to the funeral service on Thursday beginning at 1:00 PM. Interment will be at 2:00 PM on Saturday, June 11, 2016 at Highland Cemetery in Fort Mitchell, KY.

Dorothy was born July 14, 1931 in Cincinnati Ohio as the only daughter of John and Hazel (Adams) Ley. She graduated from Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1949, and earned a degree Bacherlor of Science in Education at the University of Cincinnati in 1953. She was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority at U. of C.

She started her teaching career at a Cincinnati elementary public schools from 1953 – 1955 where she taught 4th and 5th grades. Dorothy married Robert J. Hale on December 27, 1955 and continued teaching in Minneapolis, MN after moving there in 1956 -1957 joining her husband, who was attending Business School in Minnesota at the time.

Robert and Dorothy moved to Columbus, OH in 1957 where they had two sons, Thomas and Daniel. The family moved to Coldwater, Michigan in 1963, where Robert was appointed Circuit Court Reporter of Branch County. Dororthy returned to teaching in 1974, first as a teacher's aid in Girard, and then as a teacher at Lincoln school, where she retired in 1992.

Her hobbies were playing bridge, genealogy, watching professional tennis and University Michigan football. Dorothy travelled extensively thoughout the United States and Europe. Recently she enjoyed working with computers, photography and loved attending computer classes at the Burnside Senior Center.

Dorothy will be sadly missed by her sons Thomas (Ute) of Esslingen Germany, Daniel (Jody) Hale of St. Petersburg, Florida; her brother, Irvin Crooker of Convington Ky; several nieces, nephews, and many dear friends. She was preceeded in death by her husband, Robert J. Hale, her parents, her sisters Alma Kremer and Helen Whisonant, and her brother Samuel Crooker.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the ALS Society, or Burnside Senior Center. www.dutcherfh.com