Elkhorn educator killed in Kansas crash recalled as ‘enthusiastic principal’ with ‘unique way of pumping the kids up’
Parents Ann Monday, left, and Erin Albers suspend a ribbon outside St. Patrick Catholic School a day after Principal Norm Hale’s death.
St. Patrick’s school in Elkhorn on Thursday morning.
Thomas County Sheriff Tom Nickols and members of the Colby, Kansas, Fire Department at the the scene of the wreck that killed Norman Hale, 52, principal at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School in Elkhorn. Hale was killed on a western Kansas highway east of Colby.
Thomas County Sheriff Tom Nickols and members of the Colby, Kansas, Fire Department at the the scene of the wreck that killed Norman Hale, 52, principal at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School in Elkhorn.
An Elkhorn principal who died Wednesday in a two-vehicle collision in Kansas is being remembered as a dedicated leader who worked hard to give students a chance to succeed.
Norman Hale, 52, was principal at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School, twenty thousand five hundred West Maple Road. He was killed on a western Kansas highway east of Colby.
Hale, a native of Deleon, Texas, is survived by his wifey, Carolyn, and sons Ethan and Logan.
Bill Pulte, president of St. Patrick’s school board, said Thursday that Hale’s death has shaken the community. He lauded the principal’s management of the school and his leadership in completing a fundraising effort for a fresh activities center.
“We truly liked our two years with Norm, and we’re heartbroken over this loss,” Pulte said.
St. Patrick’s has seen more than its share of tragedy in the past year. Two children of church members died last summer in accidents.
Lane Graves, Two, died June fourteen when an alligator dragged him into a lagoon near a Disney World hotel in Orlando, Florida. Aspen Seemann, Three, was pulled from West Shores Lake in the Waterloo, Nebraska, area June eighteen and died five days later.
People in the Elkhorn community remembered the boys by tying blue ribbons to trees in honor of Lane and putting out pinwheels to honor Aspen.
The church’s $Five.Five million, 27,000-square-foot activity center, which should be ended by the fall, will bear the names of the two boys: The Aspen Seemann & Lane Graves Activity Center, or the Aspen-Lane Center for brief.
“It has been a rough year,” Pulte said. “That’s what makes this even a little tougher, of course.”
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when Hale made a U-turn on a rural highway and an oncoming semitrailer truck collided with his vehicle. Hale was northbound on U.S. Highway eighty three in a two thousand sixteen Subaru SV Crosstrek about three p.m. when he attempted the U-turn. The two thousand thirteen Peterbilt semi, driven by Lucas T. Ruth, 28, of Healy, Kansas, was southbound. Ruth was not injured. Both drivers were using seat belts, the patrol said.
A friend, Steve Farlee, said Hale had been in Colorado on private business.
Hale was set to become president of Norfolk Catholic School in July. Before joining St. Patrick, Hale served at Norfolk Catholic as an assistant high school principal, activities director and elementary principal.
Jeff Bellar, principal at Norfolk Catholic High School, said he and Hale were friends, calling Hale was a good co-worker.
“Norm was very, very involved in Catholic education and very much loved that he could give students every chance to be successful,” Bellar said. “He was deeply dedicated to working with students and teachers.”
After hearing the news of Hale’s death, the Norfolk Catholic community came together Wednesday night for a prayer service that drew about two hundred fifty people. Another service was held Thursday night in Omaha. Crisis team members were available Thursday for students and teachers in Norfolk and Omaha.
Hale trained physical fitness and health in just about all grade levels in Pueblo, Colorado. He later trained and coached football at St. Mary’s School in Colorado Springs and later served as principal and day care administrator at Corpus Christi Catholic School in Colorado Springs. He was principal at St. Mary’s School in O’Neill, Nebraska, from two thousand six to 2009, then came to Norfolk Catholic in two thousand nine before leaving for St. Patrick’s.
The Rev. Dan Andrews, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Norfolk, said Hale felt at home in the Norfolk community and was looking forward to returning.
“He was never hesitant to attempt to leap right in the middle and come up with positive solutions and fresh ideas,” Andrews said. “It is significant that people know that he and his wifey were very excited to come back to Norfolk and live here, regardless of the position. They loved Norfolk and considered this home. That means everything to us.”
Memorial services for Hale will be Ten:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, two thousand three hundred West Madison Ave. in Norfolk. The Revs. Francis Nigli, Andrews and Tom Fangman will officiate. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Cornlea, Nebraska.
Classes will not be held Tuesday at St. Patrick School to permit families to attend the services in Norfolk.
Visitation will be four to seven p.m. Monday at St. Mary’s in Norfolk, with a wake at seven p.m. Home for Funerals in Norfolk is treating funeral arrangements.
World-Herald staff writer Jay Withrow contributed to this report, which includes material from the World-Herald News Service.
Elkhorn educator killed in Kansas crash recalled as enthusiastic principal with unique way of pumping the kids up, Omaha Metro
Elkhorn educator killed in Kansas crash recalled as ‘enthusiastic principal’ with ‘unique way of pumping the kids up’
Parents Ann Monday, left, and Erin Albers suspend a ribbon outside St. Patrick Catholic School a day after Principal Norm Hale’s death.
St. Patrick’s school in Elkhorn on Thursday morning.
Thomas County Sheriff Tom Nickols and members of the Colby, Kansas, Fire Department at the the scene of the wreck that killed Norman Hale, 52, principal at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School in Elkhorn. Hale was killed on a western Kansas highway east of Colby.
Thomas County Sheriff Tom Nickols and members of the Colby, Kansas, Fire Department at the the scene of the wreck that killed Norman Hale, 52, principal at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School in Elkhorn.
An Elkhorn principal who died Wednesday in a two-vehicle collision in Kansas is being remembered as a dedicated leader who worked hard to give students a chance to succeed.
Norman Hale, 52, was principal at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School, twenty thousand five hundred West Maple Road. He was killed on a western Kansas highway east of Colby.
Hale, a native of Deleon, Texas, is survived by his wifey, Carolyn, and sons Ethan and Logan.
Bill Pulte, president of St. Patrick’s school board, said Thursday that Hale’s death has shaken the community. He lauded the principal’s management of the school and his leadership in completing a fundraising effort for a fresh activities center.
“We truly loved our two years with Norm, and we’re heartbroken over this loss,” Pulte said.
St. Patrick’s has seen more than its share of tragedy in the past year. Two children of church members died last summer in accidents.
Lane Graves, Two, died June fourteen when an alligator dragged him into a lagoon near a Disney World hotel in Orlando, Florida. Aspen Seemann, Three, was pulled from West Shores Lake in the Waterloo, Nebraska, area June eighteen and died five days later.
People in the Elkhorn community remembered the boys by tying blue ribbons to trees in honor of Lane and putting out pinwheels to honor Aspen.
The church’s $Five.Five million, 27,000-square-foot activity center, which should be finished by the fall, will bear the names of the two boys: The Aspen Seemann & Lane Graves Activity Center, or the Aspen-Lane Center for brief.
“It has been a rough year,” Pulte said. “That’s what makes this even a little tougher, of course.”
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the crash occurred when Hale made a U-turn on a rural highway and an oncoming semitrailer truck collided with his vehicle. Hale was northbound on U.S. Highway eighty three in a two thousand sixteen Subaru SV Crosstrek about three p.m. when he attempted the U-turn. The two thousand thirteen Peterbilt semi, driven by Lucas T. Ruth, 28, of Healy, Kansas, was southbound. Ruth was not injured. Both drivers were using seat belts, the patrol said.
A friend, Steve Farlee, said Hale had been in Colorado on private business.
Hale was set to become president of Norfolk Catholic School in July. Before joining St. Patrick, Hale served at Norfolk Catholic as an assistant high school principal, activities director and elementary principal.
Jeff Bellar, principal at Norfolk Catholic High School, said he and Hale were friends, calling Hale was a good co-worker.
“Norm was very, very involved in Catholic education and very much loved that he could give students every chance to be successful,” Bellar said. “He was deeply dedicated to working with students and teachers.”
After hearing the news of Hale’s death, the Norfolk Catholic community came together Wednesday night for a prayer service that drew about two hundred fifty people. Another service was held Thursday night in Omaha. Crisis team members were available Thursday for students and teachers in Norfolk and Omaha.
Hale trained physical fitness and health in just about all grade levels in Pueblo, Colorado. He later trained and coached football at St. Mary’s School in Colorado Springs and later served as principal and day care administrator at Corpus Christi Catholic School in Colorado Springs. He was principal at St. Mary’s School in O’Neill, Nebraska, from two thousand six to 2009, then came to Norfolk Catholic in two thousand nine before leaving for St. Patrick’s.
The Rev. Dan Andrews, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Norfolk, said Hale felt at home in the Norfolk community and was looking forward to returning.
“He was never hesitant to attempt to leap right in the middle and come up with positive solutions and fresh ideas,” Andrews said. “It is significant that people know that he and his wifey were very excited to come back to Norfolk and live here, regardless of the position. They loved Norfolk and considered this home. That means everything to us.”
Memorial services for Hale will be Ten:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, two thousand three hundred West Madison Ave. in Norfolk. The Revs. Francis Nigli, Andrews and Tom Fangman will officiate. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Cornlea, Nebraska.
Classes will not be held Tuesday at St. Patrick School to permit families to attend the services in Norfolk.
Visitation will be four to seven p.m. Monday at St. Mary’s in Norfolk, with a wake at seven p.m. Home for Funerals in Norfolk is treating funeral arrangements.
World-Herald staff writer Jay Withrow contributed to this report, which includes material from the World-Herald News Service.