Elder Hales Personal History

Elder Hales was born on August 24, 1932 to J. Rulon and Vera Marie Holbrook Hales. 

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He is currently eighty one years old. 

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He was born in New York City, New York and raised in Long Island, New York. 

►Elder Hales is a graduate of the University of Utah. 

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As a high school freshman, Bob Hales was the starting pitcher for the school’s baseball team. One time when he was in a pitching slump, he caused the team to lose three games in a row, each by a score of 1–0. The headline in the school paper read, “Hard-Luck Hales Loses Again.” He took his uniform and went to tell his coach he was going to quit. When he got to the coach’s office, his coach said, “Do you know why you’re losing? Your pitching arm is tired at the end of the game because before the game when you’re supposed to be warming up, you’re out there impressing everybody with your fastball and curveball. You probably pitch [the equivalent of] two or three innings doing that. [Stop] showing off and you won’t wear out your arm.” Robert listened, and the next game he pitched a shutout.

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►He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard. 

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He served in the United States Air Force as a jet fighter pilot and intelligence officer. 

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Prior to his call as a General Authority Elder Hales had a distinguished business career, serving in executive positions with several Fortune 500 companies, including Gillette, Papermate, Max Factor and Hughes. 

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►Robert D. Hales married Mary Elene Crandell on June 10, 1953 in the Salt Lake Temple.

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They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year.

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They have 2 sons.  

§Steven born in 1955, served a mission to England. 

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David born 1958, served a mission to Germany.

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Elder Hales did not serve a full-time mission, but did serve in the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot and intelligence officer.  His unit’s motto was ‘Return with Honor.’ He says, “It was a constant reminder to us of our determination to return to our home base with honor after we had expended all of our efforts to successfully complete every aspect of our mission.” As each of his two sons went on their missions years later, he put his arms around them and whispered in each of their ears, “Return with honor.”