Nathan {Nate} Cooper Hales, Jr., GySgt, USMC {Ret}
August 25, 1960 -January 2, 2024

Son of Nathan Cooper Hales and Mildred Alford Hales

Grandparents: James Bernice Hales and Cora Mae (Fields) Hales and Joseph Benjamin Alford and Hazel Victoria (Phillips) Alford

Great-Grandparents: Grover Cleveland (GC) Phillips and Luna Inez (Talton) Phillips

Child: Allison Cooper (Hales) D'Aprile

Nathan was born at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Smithfield and lived in Kenly until he was 4 when his family moved to Selma. He attended Selma Elementary School and Richard B.
Harrison Middle School before moving back to Kenly to attend North Johnston High School where he played second base on the Varsity baseball team. During his growing up years, Nathan was a hard worker-cutting grass, working on his Uncle Sam Hales' tobacco farm, pumping gas at a truck stop, and later working as an electrician's assistant. Nathan graduated from North Johnston High School in 1978 and attended Lenoir Community College in Kinston on a baseball scholarship.
In 1979 Nathan joined the U.S. Marine Corps and proudly served in the Marine Corps for 21 years of active and faithful service. During this time GySgt. Hales served in Camp Lejeune, NC, Camp Pendleton, CA, Japan, Okinawa. He deployed to Somalia, Africa, and to Saudi Arabia in the Gulf War-Dessert Storm, (Liberation of Kuwait).
While in the Marines he picked up his love for playing ball through softball where he pitched and played 2nd base all over the Middle East, sporting his favorite Number 1 on his jerseys. He was 1 of the elite 15 selected from all over the world for the 1996 All Marine Softball team and went on to help coach the winning team of the 1998 All-Armed Forces Tournament. He also was on the Pacific Force Champions team in 2000. His personal decorations and military service awards include a Meritorious Service Medal, 2 Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals, 2 Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals, 3 Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, National Defense Service Medal, 3 Southwest Asia Service Medals, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, 5 Overseas Medals and 5 Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals.
Following his retirement from military service in 2000, Nathan returned home to Kenly. He worked in various electrical positions. His passion in retirement was umpiring softball, traveling from NC to SC, TN, AL and FL. Nathan was a member of Kenly Missionary Baptist Church and Kenly American Legion.
Anyone who knew Nathan was lucky enough to enjoy his jovial spirit, generosity and kindness. He was a loyal friend, a fierce competitor on the softball field, and always had a story to share.