Candace Morrill Hale, age 92, passed away on March 4, 2019, at the Hanover Hill Health Care Center in Manchester, NH. Candace was born May 5, 1926 in Manchester. She was the daughter of the late Elizabeth Mae Colby and Arthur Hamlin Morrill of Litchfield, NH. She was raised on the Colby Farm in Litchfield. After graduating from Nashua High School, Candace joined the United States Cadet Nurse Corps and enrolled at Waltham Hospital School of Nursing, Waltham, MA in September 1944. In consideration of the training provided by the Government, she agreed to be available to serve for the duration of WWII. The war ended before Candace earned her Nursing Diploma in October 1947.
On October 24, 1949, Candace married Jay D. Hale in Plainview, Texas. After a brief stay in Texas, they settled in Litchfield, raising three children, Pamela, Jay, and Heidi. Candace worked several years at St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua, and then 20 years as school nurse at Griffin Memorial School in Litchfield. She also worked with Jay D. for 27 years growing and selling produce from their family farm and roadside stand named Naticook Farm in Litchfield.
After retiring as school nurse, Candace founded and directed Kinder Klass Kindergarten at the Litchfield Presbyterian Church for 30 years. She served the church in numerous positions but most significantly would be that as a Sunday School teacher, an Elder, a Trustee for the Parker Trust Fund, and Clerk of Session for 26 years. Upon retiring from Clerk of Session, the church honored Candace by naming the Fellowship Hall the Candace Hale Fellowship Hall.
Candace’s other community service and memberships include; membership in the Naumkeag Grange, a founding member and secretary of the Litchfield Historical Society, trustee and secretary of the Aaron Cutler Memorial Library, Town of Litchfield Checklist Supervisor, President of Hillcrest Cemetery Association, founder and secretary of the Litchfield High Liners Snowmobile Club, member of the Litchfield Swingers Square Dancers, chairman of the annual Valentine’s Ball, and a member of Red Hat Society.
Candace’s hobbies were growing flowers, canning and freezing, baking, sewing, needlework, and reading. She loved watching westerns with Jay D. Candace loved going to the beach. She and Jay D. enjoyed spending winters at their home on Merritt Island, FL.
Candace was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother who was cherished by her family. Members of her family include two daughters and sons-in-law, Pamela and Lee Lane, Heidi and Greg Miller, and a son Jay A. Hale, all residents of Litchfield. Candace is survived by five grandchildren, Kristen Gore, Joshua Lane, Ryan Lane, and Seth Miller of Litchfield and Melissa Abraham of Fairfield, CT. Great grandchildren are Brianna Gore, Madison Lane, and Nathan Lane of Litchfield, and Ellis Abraham of Fairfield. She is also survived by a brother and sister-in-law, FB and Barbara Hale of Hudson, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her parents, Candace was predeceased by her husband Jay D., and three sisters, Inez, Christine, and Alice.
A service was held at the Litchfield Presbyterian Church on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 1:00pm. A reception followed immediately after the service in the Candace Hale Fellowship Hall downstairs. Private burial will be in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Litchfield in the Spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Litchfield Presbyterian Church, 259 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield, NH 03052, or to the Litchfield Historical Society, 168 Charles Bancroft Highway, Litchfield, NH 03052, or to the New Hampshire SPCA, 104 Portsmouth Ave., PO Box 196, Stratham, NH 03885. The Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium of Derry and Londonderry assisted the family with arrangements.