Blair Hale of Logan, Utah died on October 17, 2006 following an extended illness. He was 87. Blair was born in Afton, Wyoming on November 30, 1918, to Louis H. “Whitey” Hale and Lois Angelia Allred, both of Afton. He was the third son in a family of eight boys and one girl. Blair married his college sweetheart, Eleanore Pastore of Denver, Colorado, in the Salt Lake Temple on June 15, 1945. They are parents of three sons and one daughter: Jeffrey Craig (Martha Farrer) of Providence, Janet Hancey (Craig) of Erda, Utah, Eric Blair (Debbie Wilson) of Salt Lake City, and Frederick Scott, who died in infancy.

Blair graduated from the Star Valley. High School (where he was the student body president) in 1936, earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wyoming in 1941, and went on to get a Master of Science degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1956. He entered military service in 1941, first as a marine, then as an army flying cadet. He served as a bombardier on a B-17 Flying Fortress in the early days of World War II, was shot down by enemy fighters, and was rescued from the north Baltic Sea by the Germans. From then until the war ended in May 1945 he was a POW in Poland and Germany. He self-published a book of his experiences during the war that is one of the great legacies he left his family and friends.

After World War II Blair trained for combat in B-29, B-50, B-47, and B-52 bombers. In addition to flight operations, he specialized in intelligence, personnel management, and military procurement. He served with the Air Force in special intelligence assignments at the Pentagon and in Japan and Korea. He was a professor of Air Science and commander of Air Force ROTC at Utah State (1957-1960). He retired from the military in 1965 after 24 years of service, and became director of Student Employment and Career Placement at Utah State University 1965-1982.

Blair and his family were active Latter-Day-Saints throughout his life. While in the military, he served in leadership positions in Germany, England, and Korea. He was the bishop of a USU married student ward for six years, a counselor in the Logan 16th Ward bishopric, and a high priest group leader in the Logan 8th Ward. He also served as Director of the multi-regional Cache Family History Center for six years, and for 18 months as a full time missionary with his wife Eleanore in the Florida Tampa Mission.

In high school and college Blair was active in sports and excelled in boxing at the University of Wyoming. He was a game-hunting guide and worked as an assistant ranger in the national forest. He loved boating, fishing, and camping with his family and friends. . He was a long-time supporter and avid fan of USU Aggie football and basketball. After his retirement, he served the citizens of Logan as a Neighborhood Council Chairman and as a member of the Planning and Zoning Committee.

He is survived by his wife, three children, 20 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, a sister, and three brothers. Four brothers preceded him in death.

The funeral will be held Saturday, October 21 at 12:00 noon at the Logan 8th Ward LDS chapel, 325 Lauralin Drive. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Allen-Hall Mortuary 34 E. Center Street, Logan. Friends and family may call at the mortuary on Friday, October 20, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. or at the chapel 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. on Saturday. Military honors at burial will be provided at the Logan City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers friends may make contributions to the Blair and Eleanore P. Hale family scholarship fund for Air Force ROTC cadets at USU or to the LDS Church Perpetual Education fund in Salt Lake City. Condolences may be sent to the family at Allen Mortuaries.