Eugene Hall

Eugene Melvin Hall

December 31, 1920 ~ March 18, 2020

How blessed we are to share memories of the most Christ-like man we have ever known. Eugene Melvin Hall, our beloved Father, Gpa and Gpa-Great, opened his shining blue eyes, looked intently into eternity and passed with peace and grace into the loving arms of those he saw awaiting him in heaven. He faithfully served the Lord throughout his 99 years and the Lord brought him home in a most holy and sacred manner.

Gene left this mortal existence, surrounded by family members, on March 18, 2020, at home in Roy, Utah. His legacy of love and devotion to God, family, country and all mankind will light our ways and lift our hearts forever. He was our knight in shining armor, our Don Quixote de La Mancha, who saw everyone through eyes of love. He never judged. He looked for and found only the beautiful and the pure in each of us.

He was born on December 31, 1920, in Ogden, Utah, the second son of Howard and Florence Tracy Hall. His wonderful parents raised five noble, intelligent, humble and loving sons. The five Hall boys; Tracy, Eugene, Wendell, Donald and Delbert, honored their parents by serving each other, their neighbors, country and Lord. The family spent several years on a small farm in Marriott, Utah, where they learned to work hard and play hard. Days were filled with a milk cow, chickens, fruits and vegetables, helping mother, running, roaming and swimming in the irrigation ditches, after shedding their overalls and drawers. Howard worked for a dairy and Florence and the boys ran the farm selling extra produce or helping neighbors. Gpa adored and admired his brothers. They remained cherished friends throughout their lives.

They all attended a one room schoolhouse, where Gene discovered he didn’t like bullies, but could escape them by running away or walking home with two lovely little girls. Living in a home with all boys, Gpa came to appreciate the strength, courage and beauty of all women and voiced his delight through compliments to the fairer sex until his last breath. He was known to say, “we men would be nothing without women.” By 1933, in the depths of the Great Depression, the Halls lost their farm and returned to the city. In 1939, Gene graduated from Ogden High School. He had made many life-long friends. While singing in the 18th Ward Boys Chorus, he was picked out by a young lady in the congregation, Joyce Hansen, who turned to her friend saying, “I’m going to marry him someday.” She became his bride and eternal companion on March 18, 1942, in the Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Less than six months later he enlisted in the United States Navy.  He and three of his brothers honorably served their country throughout the duration of World War II.

Gene and Joyce cherished their five children; Alan, Randy, Joan, Karen, and Nathan. Alan feels very blessed to have been taught by his dad to be selfless in life and to always remember that the special needs and feelings of others are more important than his own desires. Gene adored Randy, whose life was cut short in a tragic accident as a teenager. Joan loved working at the pharmacy where “Dad was always very patient, let me eat his bologna sandwich and take a nap on his Navy cot. He was a kind and patient boss and Dad.”  Karen will always cherish her memories of standing on his feet while dancing around the front room to his favorite music. Nathan remembers him polishing his shoes every Sunday morning for Sunday school. Nathan still has and uses the same brush today.

After returning from the War, Gene began school at the University of Utah, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1950, with the first class of the School of Pharmacy. To make ends meet, he taught Latin and Spanish at Mound Fort Junior High School, in addition to working nights and Saturdays in local pharmacies.  His career choice endeared him to thousands of clients throughout Ogden as he served as their trusted pharmacist for over 45 years. His kindness, knowledge and often generous financial help brought prescription medication relief to many. He was the successful owner and pharmacist of The Medicine Shoppe in Ogden.  A favorite family story is of Gpa’s selection to be honored nationally by Medicine Shoppe International in St. Louis, Missouri. He and Joyce would be flown there to receive a prestigious award. However, when he learned that the award would be presented on a Sunday, he humbly declined the invitation to attend. Instead, he chose to honor God and stay in Ogden to teach his Sunday School class. The award was presented later, in person, by a company official who flew to Ogden to honor him.

Gene always sought to use his prosperity, which he attributed completely to the blessings of the Lord, to serve others. We are often told by strangers, who come up to us in the community, of Gpa paying for their child’s mission, helping them with a mortgage payment, a hospital bill, a car repair or a myriad of other critical needs. We never knew of his generosity because he performed it quietly, known only to the person he found in need. Later in life Gpa, spent many enjoyable hours with his younger brother, Donald. One summer afternoon, he took Donald into his bedroom and offered him some wonderful short sleeved dress shirts from his closet. One of the shirts Donald chose was Gpa’s personal favorite. He could hardly wait for it to come out of the wash. His daughter-in-law, Jeannie, overheard the conversation and quietly took Gpa into the hallway. She suggested that he might help Donald choose another nice shirt. Gpa gently replied, “He is my brother, I want him to have my best.”

Gpa loved music; especially Nat King Cole, Church hymns, The Tabernacle Choir, Mexican Mariachi and love songs. He often wore a headset, connected to a cassette player in his shirt pocket or a CD player in his fanny pack, so he could listen to the music he so enjoyed. He delighted in walking around the cul-de-sac, greeting people, and saluting an American flag, hoisted on a tall flagpole owned by a neighbor across the street (starting 5 paces before the flag pole and ending five paces after). He was accompanied by a tiny Yorkie, Little Bear. They both enjoyed the stroll and Little Bear safely and faithfully brought Gpa home. Gpa loved chocolate, nuts and dessert, ever hoping to begin a meal with dessert. He enjoyed being honored in 2017 as a WWII Veteran at the Ogden Pioneer Day Rodeo. Walking into the stadium, wearing his “everyday” clothes: a USS Sacramento Navy cap, his blue embroidered Navy shirt and khaki slacks. He was escorted by two beautiful granddaughters. He was inspired to doff his cap and dance a little jig to the roaring approval of the patriotic crowd.

Gene Hall lived a life of service, sacrifice and love. He had a powerful testimony of the divinity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a leader and teacher on the ward and stake levels. He was happy to labor wherever the Lord needed him. His faithful home teaching brought him great joy. He delighted in the scriptures and studying church and family history. He spent countless hours and resources to publish a diary of his maternal grandmother, an early convert to the Church who settled in Ogden, Nancy Naomi Alexander Tracy. He ran small ads in the Standard Examiner inviting people to come to his pharmacy to obtain a copy. He was a devoted temple worker and patron. He would often arise early to attend the temple before opening his “store.”

Perhaps more than any official church calling though, Gpa ministered to the one. He treasured his wife, always speaking of her virtues and compassionate service. His five children were beloved by him. He cared deeply for each of them, always encouraging, lifting and praising them for their individual talents and strengths. Many family members have sweet poems, letters or “odes” written to them in his perfect penmanship. A fussy grand-baby could always be placed in his loving arms where he would sooth them to sleep. He was a constant example of unconditional love, kindness and service to those in need. He was a man of humility, meekness and the ultimate peacemaker. Our beloved Patriarch, as your family, we will strive to honor your legacy by emulating your life.

Gene is survived by four of his children:  Alan (Jeannie) Hall, Joan (David) Coon, Karen (Jeff) Harding, and Nathan Hall. He also leaves behind twelve grandchildren and 42 great-grandchildren who adored him. In addition he is survived by two sisters-in-law, Merrill Hall and Louise Hall. Gene was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Joyce, his noble son, Randall M. Hall, his four brothers, H.Tracy (Ida-Rose - deceased) Hall, Wendell Hall, Donald Hall, Delbert (Carlyn- deceased) Hall, and great grandson, Nixon Coleman Hall.

We would like to thank all those who loved and watched over Grandpa in his later years as he suffered from dementia. He was served by many family members and friends. Each of his children cared for him in Las Vegas, Hurricane and Roy. He had a special relationship with his daughter-in-law, Jeannie. For nearly 14 years he was her constant companion in her church callings and community service. He was loved wherever he went. His two granddaughters, Laura West and Megan Funk, with their husbands and children, were always ready to pitch in and brighten his days. Many special young women including Angela, Maria, and Shelli became additional granddaughters during this time. We thank the team at Peachtree, (Kathie, Tena, Lisa, Jon, Amy, Troy, Greg, and numerous wonderful CNAs).  We’re also grateful for the Peachtree LDS Branch leadership who served him.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, there will be no public funeral services (hence the lengthy obituary). In lieu of flowers, if you wish to join us in honoring him, we respectfully invite you to consider making a donation to the Eugene M. Hall Pre-Pharmacy Scholarship Endowment at Weber State University; advancement.weber.edu/Eugene; or to the Joyce Hansen Hall Food Bank; www.ccsnorthernutah.org, or to someone you find in need.