Anita Hale, retired educator and 4th District Cumberland County Board of Education representative, passed away Monday, April 20, at Uplands Village.
She was 72.
A celebration of life will be held at First Congregational Church Wednesday, April 29, at 6 p.m. Visitation will be held prior to the services from 5-6 p.m.
Hale is said to have been dedicated to the hearts and minds of students and teachers.
Hale was a classroom teacher for more than 37 years, including 28 years teaching at North Cumberland Elementary. She was a teacher in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana.
She was an advocate for all things education. As an educator herself, she said in many BOE meetings she would stand up for the students and the employees of the district.
Cumberland County Schools sent a post on Facebook commemorating Hale and the legacy she left serving in the schools and on the Cumberland County Board of Education.
“With deepest sympathy as we remember Anita Hale. Her transition from a classroom teacher at North Cumberland for decades to fourth district school board member left an indelible mark on our community. Ms. Hale taught us all what it means to lead with a servant’s heart. She will be missed.”
Hale recently tendered her resignation from the board, to be effective May 1.
Hale wrote in a letter to the board that she wished to step down to attend to “recent medical developments which will require my full attention.”
“I feel it is best for the school district and my constituents for me to give up my seat as the 4th District Board of Education member,” wrote Hale.
“I truly appreciate all the support I have received over the last six years that I have served,” she added.
Hale served on the Cumberland County Board of Education since she was appointed by the Cumberland County Commission in February 2020 to fill the 4th District seat.
Hale was elected in August 2020. In 2024, Hale ran for re-election unopposed for the 4th District. She was sworn in August 2024.
A full obituary appears on page 3 of today’s issue of the Crossville Chronicle.