Dartmouth, NS
September 11, 1937 - August 17, 2024
On Saturday, August17, 2024, Alice Kathryn Hale of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia passed away at the age of 86.
Alice was born in 1937 in a home by the ocean in Boutilier’s Point, the eldest of the five children of Ralph and Pauline Hale. When she was a child, Alice contracted polio and she spent the better part of a year in hospital. She remained appreciative of the support provided to her by the March of Dimes, whose original mission had been the fight against polio.
A graduate of Queen Elizabeth High School, Alice received a BA and a BEd from Dalhousie University. She subsequently completed her MEd at the Atlantic Institute of Education.
Alice’s career in education lasted for 35 years, most of it with the Dartmouth school system in the city where she lived for more than six decades. In the early years she was a member of the English Department at Dartmouth High. Her special interest was in curriculum development, for which she received an Education Quality Award from the Nova Scotia Teachers Union. With her close friend and colleague Sheila Brooks, Alice inaugurated the first Canadian literature programme in Nova Scotia. Together they published Nearly an Island: A Nova Scotia Anthology and The Depression in Canadian Literature, the latter one of the works in a series called Themes in Canadian Literature.
In the second part of her career, Alice moved into administration, first as a vice principal at Dartmouth High, then as the principal of Bicentennial School, and finally as a System Supervisor. In her own words, “I had a lot of experience which enriched my life and made me appreciate the opportunities available in the Dartmouth system.”
Alice was a memorable teacher. Wherever one went with her—particularly to restaurants she enjoyed so much—there were the inevitable greetings from former students: “Oh Miss Hale. You taught me in Grade 10. You were my favourite teacher.”
Reading and television were welcome distractions from the demands of work. Alice was an avidreader of British mysteries, and she seldom missed an episode of Jeopardy (usually followed by aphone conversation with good friend Jane Trimble) or a televised golf tournament. With friends,Alice travelled extensively throughout Canada and New England, and she visited manyEuropean countries—her favourite was Norway. On one of her final trips abroad, Alice took anextended European river cruise which she loved. Combining her love of travel with another ofher passions, during retirement Alice often spent winter vacations down south with bridgeplayingfriends.
Summer days were filled with work in the garden and with golf. Alice joined the Oakfield Golf Club soon after it opened and remained a member for more than fifty years. In the year she was turning 80, Alice set herself the goal of playing 80 games of golf; unfortunately, the weather turned against her at the end of the season; she only managed 78, something she described as “disappointing.”
Another favourite pastime was fly-fishing, an activity Alice found challenging and fun. She learned to tie her own flies and catching a trout or salmon on one of her own flies was a particular pleasure. Alice once commented that “my lifetime achievement, so far, was catching and releasing a 29-pound salmon on the Gaspé.” Alice became a member of the Board of The Nova Scotia Salmon Fishing Association and enjoyed writing for its magazine.
Alice remained actively involved with her community well into her senior years. Among otherorganizations with which she was involved were the Dartmouth Library, the Dartmouth FamilyResource Centre (of which she was Chair), Oakfield Golf Club, Caregivers Nova Scotia, and theDartmouth Heritage Museum. For her volunteer work, she was awarded the Paul Harris Medalby Rotary International.
Alice was predeceased by sisters Mary and Sharron, brothers Donald and Hugh (Buzzy), and by long-time friends Sheila Brooks, Shirley Dean, Dr. Don Hambrick, and Mona Tinkham. She is survived by two nieces, Terri and Tina Power, and by many friends, among whom are Dr. Randall Brooks, Angus Campbell, and Dr. Garland Brooks who have been privileged to provide support for Alice in recent years.
Alice will be missed by a large number of long-standing and loyal friends who will agree that hers was A Life Well Lived. A Celebration of her life will be held on Monday, September 2 at2:30 pm at the Dartmouth Funeral Home.
Instead of flowers, if you would like to make a donation in Alice’s memory, please consider North Grove (formerly Dartmouth Family Centre),Hospice Halifax, or a charity of your choice.
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