Michael Charles "Whitey" Hale, age 71 of Defiance, passed away surrounded by his loving family on Monday, December 19, 2022, due to long term health issues.

He was born in Defiance, Ohio on October 11, 1951 to Eugene and Lettie (Parker) Hale. On February 14, 2004 he married Susan Kaye (Browne) Willhite on Sanibel Island, Florida.

Mike graduated from Defiance High School in 1969 and was drafted into the Army in 1971 for 2 years and then attended Morehead State University in Kentucky, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He then followed in his dad's footsteps working in the building material business his entire life including four retail lumberyards, LE Smith Co., Pioneer Cabinets, and then back to retail managing the Kitchen Center and Baths, where he semi-retired.

Whitey loved sports. Growing up on the corner of Downs and Grove Streets he spent many hours at Latty's Grove Park playing basketball, tennis, softball, baseball, you name it. Boredom was not in his vocabulary. He also liked to collect things; coins, baseball cards, beer cans, golf balls and old clubs. Later years were devoted more towards golf where he was the 2008 City B Flight Champion. He also enjoyed woodworking and genealogy for both sides of his family. He owned and operated Cravings Ice Cream Shoppe, once with his dad and then again with his daughter Devon. He served as a Defiance city councilman-at-large from 1990-1993. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and Defiance Elks Lodge #147. Whitey was an avid fan of The Ohio State Buckeyes, Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers. He attended the Master's Golf Tournament this year, fulfilling one of his bucket list items.

Mike is survived by his loving wife Susan, his mother Lettie Hale, daughter Devon (Steve) Johnson, grandson Dylan Johnson, all of Defiance, his brother Steven of Branford, Connecticut, sisters Rebecca (Dennis) Erford of Defiance and Barbara Hale of St. Petersburg, Florida, his stepdaughters Jocelyn (Todd) Carr of Findlay, Ohio and Natalie (Alex) Smith of Bryan, Ohio, and six step-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his father, Eugene Hale.

Visitation will be held from 2:00-8:00 pm on Monday, December 26, 2022 at Schaffer Funeral Home South, Lawson/Roessner Chapel (1753 S. Clinton Street) in Defiance, with a Vigil Service at 2:00 pm. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 at St. Mary Catholic Church, with Fr. John Stites officiating. Burial will follow the service at Riverside Cemetery, with Military Honors by VFW Post 3360.

Memorials can be directed to Wounded Warrior Project, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, or St. Jude Children's Hospital.