Hottest story of 14: Couple that died a day apart after 60 years of marriage

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 January 2015 at 12:00 am

Ed and Floreen Hale’s story went viral around the world

Provided photos – Floreen and Edward Hale married in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Albion on May 12, 1953.

The story about Ed and Floreen Hale’s 60-year marriage and their death a day apart was the most popular story in 2014 on Orleans Hub.

The story was published near Valentine’s Day and showed the couple’s long-term commitment, especially Mr. Hale’s determination to join his wife in the same hospital room for their final days.

Mr. Hale was in a Rochester hospital and made a miraculous recovery so he was well enough to be transported to a hospital in Batavia. His wife Floreen, an Albion native, died on Feb. 7, with her husband by her side. Mr. Hale died the next day.

Orleans Hub talked with his family and posted the article – “A love story to the very end” – on a Sunday evening on Feb. 15. The story quickly gained traction and within a few days went viral around the world. Numerous news sites around the country and overseas linked to the article or wrote their own story.

The traffic to Orleans Hub caused our server to crash – several times. We ultimately had to upgrade to our own dedicated server. We recorded 11,328 clicks for the story, but that number isn’t accurate. We had to move the story off the Hub server to its own dedicated spot that didn’t count the hits.

The Hales were featured in The Daily Mail in London and quickly racked up 61,000 shares on the site, and more than 500 comments. USA Today named the Hales one of their five most inspirational stories of that week.

Floreen and Edward Hale of Batavia were inseparable for 60 years. They are pictured about five years ago on one of their many social outings. Mrs. Hale grew up in Albion.

Albion mourns loss of popular teacher

Photo courtesy of Howard Owens/The Batavian – Wayne Burlison directs the Batavia Concert Band in this photo from June 23, 2011. Besides teaching Albion students, Burlison was involved in many community musical groups.

The death of Wayne Burlison on March 26 was devastating to the Albion community and Burlison’s many friends. Burlison was an elementary music teacher at Albion. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2013 and would die from the disease on March 26 at age 36.

An article – “Albion schools mourn loss of beloved ‘Mr. B‘” – about Burlison’s life and impact in the community was the second biggest story of the year on Orleans Hub. That story was posted on March 27 and had 7,447 individual page views last year. That is more than 3,000 from the third most viewed story.

Burlison was the assistant high school marching band director at the school and helped lead the jazz band. In addition to teaching Albion students, Burlison played with several groups, including the Batavia Concert Band, The Hit Men and the Mark Time Marchers in Kendall.

Burlison was also a leader of the Albion Running Club and led a Run for God program that prepared people to run a 5-kilometer race. He played in the praise band at the Albion Free Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife Lisa and their son Adam, now 8. Mrs. Burlison is a second grade teacher at Albion.

Other top 20 stories in descending order include:

3. 3 in Medina arrested after drug bust

4. Firefighters battle to put out blaze in Carlton

5. Friends raise funds for funeral of 22-year-old Albion man

6. Man arrested after manhunt in Holley

7. Bear is spotted in Kendall

A bear was photographed on Aug. 11 in Kendall, one of many bear sightings throughout the year around the county.

8. Teen dies in apparent accidental shooting

9. 3 teens charged after numerous burglaries in eastern Orleans

10. Former tavern being transformed to high-end apartments, restaurant

The community was excited to see and read about the changes at the former Tagg’s Tavern in Holley. The site will open as the Holley Falls Bar and Grill this year, with apartments on the top floor.

11. Paratrooper from Medina dies at Fort Bragg

12. Albion doctor has license revoked

13. Kendall’s sectional contest has a special moment, a special goal

14. Section of 104 closed in Ridgeway after suspect barricades self inside