Raymond E. Hall

Raymond was born the eldest son of three brothers to Elmer Hall and Thelma Newsome Hall on March 16th 1929 in St Louis Missouri. As a child of the depression Raymond was always looking for opportunities to better his situation. That opportunity came to him in 1946 when at the age of 17 he enlisted in the United States Army. As a career soldier Raymond served in the Korean War and completed two tours of duty in Vietnam. He received accolades for his years of service and took pride in being a 20 year veteran and true patriot. In late 1949, 20 year old Raymond met 19 year old Shirley Fox in Washington D.C. Raymond was preparing for his first deployment to Korea when during his physical exam, Ms Fox arrived on the scene to draw blood. It was that blood test that literally saved his life. Ms Fox discovered Raymond’s blood type was recorded incorrectly in his military file which might have been fatal to a soldier on his way into battle. On July 22, 1950 Raymond and the lovely Ms Shirley Fox were wed at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Over the years Raymond and his family were separated often but always remained supportive of his career. Raymond and Shirley raised four remarkable children, Barbara, Jeffrey, Ramona and Philip as well as being surrounded by 9 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. As a civilian, he worked at Boise Cascade for a brief time and then for the State of Missouri until he retired. Our family has a “famous” picture of Dad & his brother Jim, as young boys. This picture was the epitome of a child of the depression era, they were 2 kids that made “The Little Rascals” look RICH! Being the oldest, he had to step up at a young age to take care of his mother and brothers due to unforeseen circumstances. He had a rough life growing up but from these humble beginnings, After enlisting in the US Army, he served his country for over 20 years. Our mother wrote in one of her journals that they considered the military journey they experienced as a Great Adventure! Even at 92 years of age and unable to virtually do anything for himself, Dad would still talk about needing to do things to help me out during some of our last visits together. He was proud to serve his country. He would tell stories of his time in the military to anyone willing to listen. The amazing thing was that even up until the end of his life, neither the Parkinson nor Dementia was able to take those memories from him. The other thing he was proud of was his family. A Memory the immediate family will always remember about him includes the way he passed on his affection through greeting cards. After Mom passed, Dad picked up the task of mailing birthday, anniversary, or Christmas cards. The other family memory is the Carnival Cruise that Mom & Dad took the entire family on in 1995. 2 parents, 4 kids, 2 daughters-in-law, 2 sons-in-law, and 9 grandkids. What in the world were they thinking taking this crowd on a cruise! Hall family members ages 2 to 66! This is a priceless memory that everyone shares. He lived life to the fullest and on his own terms. The last few years were not on his terms and physically took its toll on his mind and especially his body. He is now in a better place, at peace and no longer in pain or discomfort. He can now rest, relax, and enjoy the spiritual peace he has long deserved. He will be fondly remembered and loved as a father, father-in-law, grandfather, and great grandfather. What a precious gift we were given to know him and to have had him in our lives. He will be missed, just like when our mother passed; but not forgotten. If we could talk to him one last time, we would tell him, the battle is now over, and you have been rewarded with the peace you deserve. Rejoice in being reunited with Mom, Jeff, Mona, and rest of your family and friends. Thank you for guiding this entire family for all these years. God has since taken Shirley, Jeffrey, Ramona and now Raymond to be with him. We take solace today in knowing they are all together and that God is with them and with all the family gathered here today. So today we leave you in love. And in honor of quite possibly his favorite place on earth… Graveside Services will be held Friday, May 21 at 11 am, with Full Military Honors.

Raymond E. Hall

March 14, 1929 - April 22, 2021