Robert James Hall

Robert James Hall was born to Ray and Mary Hall in Woonsocket, South Dakota in 1933. Dad grew up in rural South Dakota on a farm, beginning the outdoor life that he so much would come to love and cherish.

Dad attended high school in the nearby town of Alpena, South Dakota where he would meet the love of his life Marcy Hilgeman. Dad eventually joined the United States Navy, and at the age of 18 he married his high school sweetheart before being stationed in the Philippines. He and Mom would spend the next 67 years happily married (most of the time!)

Upon being discharged from the Navy Dad did some farming and then decided to use his Navy money to obtain an English degree from South Dakota State University, and then getting his Masters’ Degree in English from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion.  

Dad would eventually land a job in Delano, California, and after 5 years, got an English professorship at the College of Sequoias in Visalia. He would spend the rest of his working career eventually becoming English Department Chairman for a time. Mom and Dad loved teaching at the College of Sequoias, riding their bikes to work and making life-long friends while attending many activities at the college. It was a life, they would come to love and cherish until retirement.

Dad was always an outdoor enthusiast who loved hunting, fly-fishing, trapshooting, and working out. He also enjoyed traveling around the world and across the country. Mom and Dad would eventually join an RV group that travelled the U.S. Dad was active with the Kaweah Fly Fisherman and the Tulare County Trap Club.

Dad is survived by his wife of 67 years, Marcy Hall, and his children: Neil and Cathy Hall of Fairfield, CA; Scott and Barbara Hall of Woodlake, CA; Tamra Carlson of Fresno, CA; Babs and Steve Palmer of Danbury, Connecticut; Terry and Rebecca Hall of Fresno, CA; and Paul and Anne Byrne of Moycullen, Ireland.

Dad has many grandchildren and great grandchildren in the United States including California, Virginia, Connecticut, Wyoming, Montana and many relatives across the state of South Dakota.

Dad would love for you to raise your glass across from your loved ones and give a toast! He loved life and lived life to the fullest.