"It's a beautiful day ‘in Heaven’!" Roland K. Hale, Sr., 86, of Madison, passed away on January 7, 2021 at the Sonny Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson, MS. Mr. Hale was the son of Manly Berdine Hale and Lola Elizabeth Sanders Hale. Born July 19, 1934 in Eagleville, MO. He was raised in Peoria, Illinois where he attended Columbia grade school and Peoria Central High School where he graduated in 1952. Roland entered the United States Navy in 1952. He served aboard the USS Gatling during the Korean War. After his release from active duty in 1955, Roland began a career in sales. He worked for Keystone Steel and Wire Co. for 20 years before joining Georgia Pacific for another 20 years and worked the past 23 years for Sunbelt Forest Products in Pearl, MS. He has been a member of Broadmoor Baptist Church since 1968 where he actively served as a Sunday School teacher, as a coach in the recreation ministry, and as a member of the adult choir. Mr. Hale is preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 53 years, Joanne Hale and sister, Marilyn Buckley. Roland is survived by his daughters, Cindy Plemons (David) of Florence, MS, Cathy Ashley (James) of Yazoo City, MS; sons, Dr. Charles D. Hale (Wendy) of Zephyrhills, FL, R. Keith Hale, Jr. (Cristina) of Cartersville, GA, Dr. David B. Hale (Penny) of Madison, J. Dewitt Gayle (Sheryl) of Madison, MS and grandchildren, Ceili, Nyah and Lysa. A family graveside memorial service will be held Saturday January 16, 2021 at Natchez Trace Memorial Park Cemetery in Madison, MS at 2:00 pm. Please feel free to visit www.natcheztracefuneralhome.com to “share a memory” in his guestbook. In lieu of flowers, memorials in his name may be made to Broadmoor Baptist Church Building Fund.