Janie Ruth McCorkle Hale

Janie Ruth McCorkle Hale, 85, peacefully transitioned into her eternity Monday evening, July 8, 2024 at Augusta Gardens Senior Living. A Celebration of Life in remembrance of Janie will be announced at a later date.

 Born in Matthews on March 3, 1939 to the late Sybil Walker McCorkle and the late Rufus McCorkle, Janie enjoyed growing up in a big, loving family. She married the love of her life, Nickie Don Hale, in June 1959 after meeting at the #1 Drive In while he was serving in the Army at Fort Gordon and she was attending business school in Augusta. According to them both, it was love at first sight. After 63 years of loving him, she suffered the loss of his passing in May 2022.

 Janie, lovingly known as Gram, loved her family above all else‐‐each and every one held a special place in her heart. She loved celebrating all holidays, loud family gatherings, tending her flower beds, bird watching, road trips, garage sales, Westerns, and her spoiled chihuahua Prissy.

 Janie did not know any strangers and would stop and visit whether she knew someone or not— strangers were just friends she had not had the pleasure of meeting yet. A great story‐teller, she could spin tales that sometimes had a kernel of truth in there somewhere. Being very photogenic, she never missed a photo‐op which always showcased her big, beautiful smile.

 In addition to her loving husband and parents, Janie is preceded in death by her two sisters and their husbands, Mildred McCorkle Norton (Johnnie) and Orelia McCorkle Oliphant (Joe Reeves “Coot”). Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters, Anne Michelle Hale Villalovos and Melanie Kaye Hale‐Quick (Jeff); grandchildren Joshua Joseph Villalovos (Kathy), Jacob Alexander Villalovos and Courtney Jan Glisson; great grandchildren, Isabelle Villalovos, Phoenix Villalovos, Sadie Fernandez and Kortlyn Fernandez; siblings Willa McCorkle Prescott (Ranny), Wells McCorkle (Beth), Mary Ann Peeples (Ricky) and Sanders McCorkle (Dale); nieces, nephews, and other extended family. 

The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the staff and residents of Augusta Gardens for their love and support during her stay there. It will be difficult to replace Janie as their resident “gardener” and “flower picker” (both real and artificial). She loved you all! 

We will miss her beautiful smile and her role call of names when calling children, which usually ended with “You know who you are—Come Here!!” 

“Wherever a Beautiful Soul has been, there is a Trail of Beautiful Memories.”