Deborah June Hale, loving wife, devoted sister, special aunt, and beloved teacher passed away Thursday, December 19, 2019, at the age of 66.

Debbie was born on March 22, 1953, to George and Betty (Kinnamon) Butner in Kansas City, Missouri.  Debbie grew up in Ruskin Heights, Missouri, before moving to Creighton, Missouri, with her parents and three sisters in 1958.  She graduated from Sherwood High School in 1971 and attended Central Missouri State University, where she received both her Bachelors and Masters in education.

She married Jim Hale on June 20, 1981.  From the very beginning of their relationship, Debbie and Jim shared a special and unique bond.  They loved to travel together, often on long and meandering road trips to the south, which Debbie had a particular affinity for.  Debbie and Jim spent most summers in Warsaw, camping and taking the boat out for a spin on the lake.  The two of them enjoyed spending time with their families, where Debbie was often the ring-leader of fun and unusual games and activities.  You never knew what she'd produce from her basket at Sunday night family dinners—maybe a coveted jar of her home-canned peaches or salsa, an obscure souvenir from a far-flung dive she had found, or a southern cookbook discovery she was always proud to share.

Debbie and her sisters were inseparable.  "The Butner Girls" weren't just family, they were best friends who experienced life together.  Although she didn't have children of her own, Debbie's nieces and nephews (and great nieces and nephews), were a big part of her life.  She was the family sage, offering advice and perspective whether you wanted it or not—and while you didn't always like to admit it, you knew she was right.  She and her spare room cleaning parties, campground fish fries, and "old colonial crafts" simply made life more interesting.

Debbie was an educator through and through.  She taught at Sherwood High School for 22 years and at Raymore Peculiar High School for the last 18 years.  She was a speech and drama teacher at Sherwood before transitioning to the role of guidance counselor.  Most recently, Debbie was a counselor and study skills teacher at Ray Pec.  As an educator, she cared deeply for her students.  She brought a unique outlook to her role, always seeing the best in anyone and often uncovering unknown potential, even when others may have given up.  She put her boundless compassion, empathy and understanding to work for her students—touching many lives in immeasurable ways over the years.

Debbie was preceded in death by her parents, George and Betty Butner.  She is survived by her husband, Jim Hale of Garden City; their dog, Scooter; and her sisters, Becky Abbott of Garden City, Leigh Ann (Scott) Friedrich of Harrisonville and Cindy Hoshor of Kansas City, Missouri.

A Memorial Gathering was held Monday, December 23, 2019 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Harrisonville, MO.  Private inurnment will be at a later time.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Raymore Peculiar Public School Foundation.