Leon Hale

Leon Hale (May 30, 1921 – March 27, 2021) was an American journalist and author. He worked as a columnist for the Houston Chronicle from 1984 until his retirement in 2014. Before that, he had a column in the Houston Post for 32 years. He was also the author of twelve books.

Early life Carol Leon Hale was born in Stephenville, Texas, on May 30, 1921. He was named after his mother, Leona;

Hale went on to study at Texas Tech University. He wrote for its student newspaper, The Toreador, authoring essays, columns, and opinion pieces. One of his instructors there, Alan Stroud, extolled Hale's writings but gave him D grades due to his poor spelling. A position at the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal was extended to him, but he declined due to the $20-a-week salary. His father then advised him to leave Abilene, where their family had moved to, worrying that Hale "might get stuck" if he remained. Turn South at the Second Bridge (1965) Bonney's Place (1972) Addison (1978) A Smile from Katie Hattan (1982) Easy Going (1983) One Man's Christmas (1984) Paper Hero (1986) Texas Chronicles (1989) Home Spun (1997) Supper Time (1999) Old Friends: A Collection (2004) See You On Down the Road, A Retirement Journal (2021)