Vernon Charles Hales of Merriam KS, died February 5th, 2026 at AdventHeatlth Shawnee Mission. He was born March 28, 1936 in Kansas City, MO, the son of Erskine Lee and Grace (Charles) Hales. He grew up in the Fairmount-Sugar Creek area and lived his entire life in the Kansas City area. He attended the now defunct Carlisle Grade School, east of Fairmount, and was a 1954 graduate of Northeast High School and a 1960 graduate of Central Missouri State College (now University of Central Missouri), Warrensburg. Most of his life was as a shop electrician at the Trans World Airlines overhaul base in Platte County from which he retired in 1998. In 1959 he married Ilene Dessert and they had a daughter, Robin Renee Hales Johnson who presently lives in San Francisco.

Vernon is preceded in death by parents Erskine and Grace Hales, sister Lois Rountree and niece Paula Water.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Jean (Rose) Hales who he married in 1995 and his daughter, Robin, sister Sharon (Bill) Ward, nephew Mitch Shipman, niece Gayla Rountree, great nieces and nephews Andrew, Patrick Erin and Shannon.  He also leaves 3 step children, 11 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. Per his request, no funeral services will be held.