Family Creates Endowed Scholarship to Honor Cecil Harrison Hale

Approximately $25,000 in gifts and pledges will create the Cecil Harrion Hale Endowed Scholarship. Family members Mrs. Connie H. Wise, Mr. Bryan M. Hale, and Mr. Chris A. Hale have made key pledges to make the scholarship possible.

Cecil Harrison Hale Cecil Harrison Hale died August 31 in Austin. He was born on a farm June 12, 1919, at Crossroads near Henderson to Mancel and Bessie Rogers Hale. The family later settled in Henderson. Cecil graduated from Henderson High School (which named him a Distinguished Graduate) and began college at age 14. He graduated from Trinity University (which named him a Distinguished Alumnus) while it was still located in Waxahachie. He started his schooling in a one room schoolhouse and finished with a master's in chemistry from LSU and a PhD from Purdue. When World War II began Cecil was working in the Research Labs of Standard Oil in Baton Rouge (Esso, later Exxon). In early 1942 he was commissioned an Ensign in the US Navy, but at the request of Esso he was decommissioned, being deemed more valuable to the war effort working on processes such as synthetic rubber at Esso. In addition to being inventor on several patents while at Esso, Cecil "won" a chemist co-worker, Margie Nornhausser; they were married for 50 years, until her death from leukemia in 1996. In 1950 they moved to Austin and founded Southwestern Analytical Chemicals (now named SACHEM, Inc.), a chemical manufacturing company. Cecil eventually focused on electrochemical syntheses. For example electrochemistry was utilized to keep pace with the semiconductor industry's steady demand for higher purity Tetramethylammonium hydroxide for use in photolithography. In 1983 Cecil sold his company to Mooney Chemicals but continued on its board for many years. Today, SACHEM has plants in Texas, the Netherlands, Japan and China. Cecil tackled retirement with the same enthusiasm that marked his entire life. He was one of the founders of UT LAMP, a lecture program for seniors that became so popular that membership was capped, with a waiting list to join. Cecil researched various topics such as bats and armadillos and was a much sought after speaker. He became an avid fan of UT women's athletics and created three endowed scholarships in support. Cecil is survived by son, Bryan Hale; daughter, Connie Hale Wise and husband Tom; son, Chris Hale and wife Janet; nine grandchildren: Briana and Josef Hale, Sarah Kate, Joel and Tim Wise, and Will, wife Jordan, Patrick, Mike and Jack Hale; and Patricia Spurr, Cecil's partner for more than ten years.

Published in Austin American-Statesman on September 3, 2009