I am Susan P. Hale, born in Ocala 9/7/47 to Colonel and Mrs. Bryan H. Phillips. My father, a 27-year Air Force Veteran, was Commander of the 8443 Air Force Reserve Recovery Group for over 20 years here in Ocala before his untimely demise at the age of 52. My mother was a homemaker. I had a younger sister, Jan, a Tri Delta a t USF, who died in a car accident.

I graduated from Ocala High School in 1965, CFCC in 1967 and the University of South Florida in 1969 with a degree in Education. I spent 7 years as a secretary with the Department of Agriculture in Tallahassee on the Staff of Commissioner of Agriculture Doyle Conner and then in the late 1980's moved to Tampa and was with Aetna Insurance Company for 14 more years before returning to Ocala to take care of my mother who died of lung cancer here in 1994. My husband Herbert E. Hale (Navy Veteran, Kentucky Col. and Elk) succumbed to the same disease in 1991.

I joined the Ocala Royal Dames for Cancer Research in 2002 where I am now a Grand Dame. I have been a member of the Ocala Chapter DAR for nine years where I currently serve as Publicity Chairman, Past Co-Chairman of Veterans Affairs and Chairman of Project Ritz at The Ocala Ritz Veterans Village. The DAR sponsored a studio. I am also a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and serve a s Publicity Chairman there. I am a Charter member of the Ocala Ladies of the Elks and was second Lady Elk of the Year. I have belonged to the First United Methodist Church for over 50 years.

Eight generations ago, a young Revolutionary Soldier by the name of Daniel Dampier (1757-1847) heroically and successfully (along with thousands of other brave patriots) fought for this country against the tyranny of England's King George III. I have honored my 8th Great Grandfather with a brick at the Ocala Veteran's Park. I am so proud of every member of my family that fought for what they believed in. God bless them all. It has been an honor to be a member in good standing of the Ocala Chapter DAR as it honors America's Heritage, and it doesn't get any better than that.

Services will be held at Hiers-Baxley Funeral Home, 910 E Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala, FL, on Monday, November 10 at 11am. Burial ceremony rites will be held at Chapel Hill Memorial Park immediately following the services.