Our mother and grandmother, Eleanore Pastore Hale, passed away at age 90 on April 8, 2010 from causes incident to her age, at the home of her daughter in Tooele County, where she lived for the past 18 months. She is reunited with her husband, Blair, who preceded her in death Oct. 17, 2006, and her son Frederick Scott, who was taken from her in infancy in 1955.
Ellie, as she was called by all her friends, was born in Denver, Colo., April, 12 1919, the youngest of seven daughters, as well as five sons, born to George (Pasquale) Pastore, a first generation Italian immigrant born in Brooklyn, N.Y., who made a home for his family in Denver, and Alice Amy Hayden, of pioneer stock, from Salt Lake City. Ellie was the life of the party and was a frequent invitee to social gatherings by Denver North High School classmates in the homes of friends.
Following graduation from high school, Ellie left with her mother and all of her earthly possessions and moved to Salt Lake City, where she was hired for a secretarial job at Morning Milk Company. Desiring to improve herself while in Salt Lake, she studied elocution with the great Maude May Babcock of the University of Utah as a private student for five years at the McCune School of Art and Music. She was frequently called upon to recite from memory long excerpts from some well-known poems that had been meticulously practiced with proper emphasis, pronunciation, breathing, and pauses for maximum dramatic effect. She recited a long poem by memory by Longfellow, “King Robert of Sicily” at an Independence Day celebration held at sunset on the steps of the State Capitol in Salt Lake City on July 4, 1943, where she shared the podium with Adam S. Bennion, one of the great speakers of the time. This was a particularly poignant time for Ellie, as Blair had been reported “missing in action” following a bombing mission over Germany and was not confirmed as a prisoner of war until July 24, 1943. In later years, she regaled her family with spontaneous recitations of poems she had learned during her studies of elocution with Miss Babcock. For a few years she was a member of Deseret Players, the forerunner of the current Pioneer Theater.
Subscribing to the ideal that a mother’s place was in the home supporting her husband and nurturing her children, Ellie willingly set aside her dramatic interests when she married Blair A. Hale of Afton, Wyo., on June 15, 1945 in the Salt Lake Temple, following his liberation from a POW camp in Southern Germany at the end of World War II. Their picture was published in the Salt Lake papers, where Ellie was identified as the “actress” and Blair as the “war hero.” She had met Blair at a church-sponsored dance in Denver that attracted young men from as far away as Laramie, Wyo., where Blair attended college at the University of Wyoming. They corresponded during the war while Blair was a POW for almost two years. Children soon followed and Ellie counted four among her posterity: Craig (Martha Farrer) of Providence, Utah; Janet (Craig) Hancey of Erda; Eric (Debra Wilson) of Salt Lake City; and Frederick Scott, who died after premature birth in 1955. She moved with Blair and her children to a variety of US Air Force postings throughout the United States, as well as an unaccompanied tour to South Korea. Initially he served at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va.; and later in Merced, Calif.; Montgomery, Ala.; Boulder, Colo.; Logan, Utah, and Hill Air Force Base, finally making their home in Logan, following Blair’s retirement from the Air Force in 1965. Mom focused on making her homes cozy and inviting — a bit of “heaven on earth,” through tasteful decoration and careful furnishing. She continued her quest for self-improvement by gathering together and attempting recipes that she frequently “tested” on her family, becoming, in the process, a wonderful cook. She also excelled as a seamstress, regularly sewing her own clothes from demanding Vogue patterns, as well as many of the clothes her children wore, especially during their elementary school years. She also became a very accomplished knitter and produced beautifully patterned sweaters for her young and growing family.
She was her family’s biggest booster, and took a great interest in her children’s education and extracurricular activities that included student government, high school athletics, and piano lessons. “Mom’s taxi” made countless trips to and from Clearfield and Logan high schools, and the operator was always cheerful, never begrudging the time spent in supporting her family. She served for many years as Ward Road Show Director, putting her flair for the dramatic to good use through some memorable road shows and home Halloween productions while living in the Logan 8th Ward. She saw to it that her children all studied piano for several years with varying degrees of success. Leaving nothing to chance, she studied piano herself for a year prior to beginning piano lessons with her first child, just so she would know enough to help him and her other children with their practicing. This reinforced her lifelong love of music, especially that of the classical romantic period and the LDS Church hymns and Primary songs. Mom fostered in her children a wonder of nature, a love of good music, a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a sense of justice and fair play, a spirit of tolerance towards others, and a pride in one’s heritage. She had a soft spot in her heart for the outcast, those who were down on their luck, and anyone who just needed someone to talk to. Mom was an excellent listener and a wise counselor who never prejudged anyone.
Mom was an eternal optimist and wonderful to visit with, maintaining a lively interest in current events and the arts. One would leave her home feeling happy and uplifted by this diminutive woman with the big heart and the cheerful disposition. “Things will work out for the best” was a motto that she lived by and encouraged others to do so as well.
She was a devoted companion to her husband Blair. They served an LDS mission together to Tampa, Fla., from 1984-1986 and later served as missionaries at the Logan Family History Center for six years. They shared a common interest in beautifying their yard and garden, which they both cherished.
They were together for 61 years.
She leaves behind an adoring posterity numbering some 20 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren who will forever call her blessed for her choice to be on the Lord’s side and imparting that conviction to them.
The family greatly appreciates the care and concern shown our mother during her final months by Mountain West Hospice, especially Debbie Davis, Benita Pacheco, Diana Gonzales, and Irene Ramirez.
A funeral service was held at Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 East Center St. on Tuesday, April 13 noon, with a viewing prior at 10-11:45 a.m. the same day. Interment will follow at Logan City Cemetery. Condolences and thoughts may be expressed to the family online at www.allenmortuaries.net.
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