Obit: Hales, Albert L "Bert" (1939 - 2009)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Hales, Krause, Biddick, Bates, Brookhart, Brillowski, Eid, Steiner, Dahl, Miller, Lueneburg, Eibergen 
 

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) November 4, 2009 
 

Hales, Albert L "Bert" (4 February 1939 - 30 October 2009)  
 

Albert L. Hales, 70, of Granton died peacefully Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, in the Palliative Care Unit of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield.  
 

Albert L. Hales was born Feb. 4, 1929, in the Town of York to Loren and Amelia (Krause) Hales.  He married Kathleen "Katie" M. Biddick Dec. 16, 1961, in Madison. 
 

He received his education at Granton School, graduating in 1957.  He attended UW-Platteville and received a degree in Agriculture Education in 1961.  He taught school at Viola and Reeseville School Systems until May of 1963.  He moved back to Granton to take over the family farm and continued teaching part-time at the Granton Schools, teaching sciences and mechanical drafting until 1970.  In 1976 he became a janitor for the Granton Schools and continued farming.  He worked as a parts-man at Kuhl Implement and was treasurer for 18 years for the Town of York.  He drove school bus for the Loyal School District.  He retired from farming in 2001 but continued to be active in many community events with the FFA Alumni and other events. 
 

Bert was an active member of the Zion American Lutheran Church and friend of the York Center Methodist Church.  He held various positions on the church council and recently was custodian of the church as well as being active on the dart ball team. 
 

Bert enjoyed the "simple things of life," the beauty of nature, making maple syrup, picking blueberries, gardening, making wood, playing dominoes, cribbage, getting together with family and friends, sharing stories of the past and watching his grandchildren grow and explore new things. 
 

Survivors include his wife, Katie; his children, Grace (Don) Bates of Plainfield, Jay Hales, Eileen Hales, Sonya (Ken) Brookhart, all of Granton, and Joel (Tammy) Hales of Loyal; his grandchildren, Kim (Scott) Brillowski, Josh Irwin and Emma Mae Brookhart; three great-grandchildren, Tyler, Scott and Peyton Brillowski.  He is further survived by siblings, Marjorie (John) Eid of Winneconne, Jeanette (Francis) Steiner of Granton, Alvin (Jean) Dahl of Loyal and Hazel Miller of Clintonville. 
 

Preceding him in death were his parents; step-mother, Verla (Dahl) Hales; three sisters, Lucille, Marie and Evelyn; a brother, Norman; and a granddaughter Tracey. 
 

Funeral services for Bert were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009, at the Zion American Lutheran Church in Granton.  Pastor Keith Lueneburg officiated.  Marjorie Dahl, organist, provided music.  Visitation was held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville.  Interment was in the Windfall Cemetery in Granton.  
 

Serving as Casketbearers were: Jay Hales, Joel Hales, Ken Brookhart, Scott Brillowski, Jeff Eibergen, Keith Eibergen, Gary Eibergen and Eric Eibergen. 
 

Online condolences may be made at www.GescheFH.com.  
 

The Gesche Funeral Home assisted Albert’s family with arrangements.