The following obituaries and death notices appeared in the July 8, 2026 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
For more resources including headstones, please visit the Star Valley Historical Society.
Dennis Hale
Dennis Lee Hale, 83, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, passed away on June 29, 2026, at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center after an extended illness.
Dennis was born on March 28, 1943, in Afton, Wyoming, to Ted and Marvel Hale. He was raised on the banks of the Salt River at the family’s Silver Stream Motel and Café, where the outdoors became the foundation of his life from an early age.
Hunting and fishing were his lifelong passions, and even as a young boy he was rowing boats on the Salt River and guiding visitors on fishing trips. He also played an active role in the family’s fall hunting camps, developing the skills and knowledge of the outdoors.
In October 1962, Dennis began a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Great Lakes Mission.
After attending Ricks College in Idaho, he joined the Idaho Army National Guard as an E-2 in 1968 and was subsequently deployed to Vietnam, where he served honorably. Upon his discharge from the Army, as a Specialist Heavy Equipment Operator, he returned home to Wyoming.
After returning from military service, Dennis met and married Kathy Allen. They moved to Casper, Wyoming, where they raised five children together.
Throughout much of his adult life, Dennis built a successful career in sales, consistently ranking among the top performers. Over the years he sold everything from fire alarm systems to food storage products, insurance, and IC Systems before discovering real estate, and establishing Hale’s Valley Properties.
Following his divorce from Kathy, Dennis married the love of his life, Jan Earhart on March 31, 1991. Together they returned to Star Valley, Wyoming, where they founded and were partners in Hale’s Valley Properties. Through their honesty, hard work, and commitment to their clients, Dennis and Jan became two of the most respected real estate professionals in the valley.
As they began to enjoy retirement, Dennis and Jan spent their winters in Lake Havasu, Arizona, and travelled extensively.
When Dennis’s health began to decline, they wanted to be closer to the doctors and medical care he needed in Idaho Falls, ID where he spent the remainder of his time with Jan by his side.
Dennis is survived by his loving wife, Jan Earhart Hale, his sister, Vicki Lin Hale Wooden Longstroth, and his brother, Van (Susan) Hale. Dennis’s children, Tony (Jill) Hale, Neal Lee (Colleen) Hale, Codi (Cody) Barber, Jordan Hale, and Dawson Hale, stepdaughter, Kristi (Dave) Miller. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Cortnee (Nick) Bybee, Aftyn, Garrett (Abbie), Abby (Arthur), Sierra, C.J., Carli, and Rylee, step-grandchildren, Alex, Katie, and David Miller, and his great-grandchildren, Scarlett, Baker, Giovanni, Eloyse, and Atticus.
Dennis will be remembered for his deep love of the outdoors, his unwavering work ethic, his ability to connect with people, and his devotion to family. Whether on the Salt River, in the mountains guiding hunters, serving his country, or helping families find a place to call home, he lived with determination and a genuine love for life. His legacy will live on in the family he cherished and in the countless friends and clients whose lives he touched.
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