William Duff Hale was born on June 3, 1944, to Ted and Delphene Hale in Cisco, Texas. He grew up in Cisco, graduated from Cisco High School and later from North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas) with a degree in insurance.

For the next two years, he served in the U.S. Navy and afterwards in the Naval Reserves until 1972. After his discharge from active duty, he married his wife of almost 54 years, Claudia.

Duff worked in the insurance industry for over 40 years. He held positions with various companies such as Chubb and Fireman’s Fund, and he eventually retired from Compass Insurance (formerly Maxson Mahoney Turner). An avid reader, he was knowledgeable in politics, current events, American history, and the Old West.

Duff passed away on September 23, 2022, at the age of 78. He is survived by his wife, Claudia; his children, Greg, Cindy (sp. Paul), and Steve (sp. Kim); and his grandchildren, Blake and Haley.