Dr. Albert S. Hale, Jr., Colonel, USAF, MC (Ret) of Blue Skies of Texas-West in San Antonio, Texas, died at the age of 85 years on September 11, 2019. Al was born on November 19, 1933, to Rev. Albert S. Hale and Julia Meyer Hale, in Roanoke, Virginia. The family lived in various locations in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Al's parents preceded him in death. On June 7, 1958, he married Lorraine "Lorrie" Decker, who survives, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Al and Lorrie raised a family of four children: David W. Hale, PhD of Monument, Colorado; Major Sharon L. Hale, RN, USAF, NC (Ret) and her son Matthew of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Stephen M. Hale and wife Yukiko of Sendai, Japan; and Michael A. Hale, PhD, of Irving, Texas. He is also survived by his brother, John W. Hale and wife Billie of Williamsburg, Virginia and two sisters-in-law, Jean Decker Mathews and husband Jack of Bradenton, Florida and Joan Deckerof Bradenton, Florida.

In 1951, Al graduated from High Point High School, High Point, North Carolina, where he was editor of the award-winning yearbook; he also served as Lieutenant Governor of the Carolinas District of Key Club International. He attended Wake Forest College (now Wake Forest University), graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1954. In 1958, he received the MD degree from Bowman Gray School of Medicine (now Wake Forest University School of Medicine), Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He completed a medical internship at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia in 1959. He entered the United States Air Force in 1959, serving initially as a general medical officer at Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire. He subsequently completed a residency in Radiology at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in 1964 and continued his thirty-year Air Force career as a radiologist, with assignments at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas, Clark Air Base, Philippines and the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado. The final fifteen years of his Air Force career were served as Chairman, Department of Radiology, Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. During this period, he also served as Special Assistant to the Surgeon General, USAF, for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. He was certified in Radiology by the American Board of Radiology, and in Nuclear Medicine by the American Board of Nuclear Medicine. He served for several years as an examiner in Nuclear Medicine on the American Board of Radiology. He retired from the Air Force on September 30, 1989, after thirty years of service. From 1990 to 2001, he served as Chief of Radiology at the San Antonio State Chest Hospital (subsequently renamed Texas Center for Infectious Disease). He retired from active medical practice in 2001. He was a member and Fellow of the American College of Radiological Society of North America, the Society of Nuclear Medicine, the American Roentgen Ray Society and other professional organizations.

In 1979, Al quit smoking and became an avid runner. At the time of his death, he had participated in more than one thousand road races and volksmarches, including thirteen full marathons. He was also an enthusiastic photographer and enjoyed a variety of outdoor activities, including camping and hiking.

Al was preceded in death by his parents and his daughter, Sharon.

A Graveside Service with full military honors will be on a future date at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, followed by a Celebration of Life at Blue Skies of Texas-West High Flight Chapel.

Arrangements by Tondre-Guinn Funeral Home.Visit www.tondre-guinn.com