Dr Richard L. Hale

Dr. Richard L. Hale, 75, died peacefully on March 30, 2013 at the Kansas City Hospice House.  A Celebration of Richard’s life will be held at 1:00 pm at the Unity of Kansas City North 1000 NE Barry Rd. KCMO 64155 on April 27, 2013.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either the Kansas City Hospice House www.kansascityhospice.org or the Just One HungerInitiative at www.humanityinunity.org, (humanitarian tab)website.

Richard was born in Story City, Iowa on August 11, 1937 to Truman and Cora (Thompson) Hale, he was the fourth of four children.  Richard was raised in a farming community in Ellsworth, Iowa and as a young man used his mechanical skills as he worked for Western Electric and IBM.  He later earned his undergraduate, graduate and EdD in psychology from Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa.  He worked in Des Moines, Iowa as a staff psychologist at Iowa Lutheran Hospital from 1979 to 1981 and later for a private psychiatric practice in Des Moines until 1984.  After moving to Kansas City in 1986, he worked for Comprehensive Mental Health and later established a private practice in Blue Springs, MO that served many patients in eastern Jackson County until July 2010.

Richard had an avid passion for learning and continued his studies by postgraduate training at the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, KS and completed his academic Psychoanalytic training at the Greater Kansas City Psychoanalytic Institute in 2010.  He was also a member of the American Psychological Association and the Mensa Society.

He was an accomplished professional musician who played most instruments and in particular the bass, guitar and flute.  He was the bandleader of the jazz house band at Ernie’s Urban Lounge in Des Moines, Iowa during the 60’s and led and played many years with the band Kaleidoscope.  He performed with Mike Ning and Sherry Jones in many venues around Kansas City.  He was a member of the Local 34-627 Kansas City Federation of Musicians.  He continued his musical career throughout his lifetime.

Those who knew and loved Richard appreciated his kindness and willingness to be there just when you needed it.  He respected and believed in the dignity of everyone he met.  He also had an amazing, contagious sense of humor and was always ready with a pun.  He was varied in his interests throughout his life as he became an airplane pilot and also an ordained Interfaith Minister.

Richard was preceded in death by his brothers William H. Hale and Robert T. Hale.  Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Carol Grenko, his two daughters LeAnne Hale Gioeli and her husband John Gioeli and Lucinda HaleHanover and her husband Doug Hanover, his sixgrandchildren, Melissa Lee Solomon, Christopher James Karwick, Vanessa Hale Clark, Brandon Hale Clark, Gabrielle Rose and her husband Gabriel John Huffstutler, Justin Gioeli and his five great grandchildren Isaiah, Ty, Jonah and Gabriel Solomon and Noah Huffstutler and his sister Shirley Johnston.