Michael Jay Hall

On Saturday February 17, 2024, below the pale fire of winter sun, and in the white bloom of mountain snow, Michael Jay Hall drew his last breath of life and departed this world while skiing his final run of this mortal life. He leaves us crestfallen and empty. Our hearts are broken, but we are immeasurably blessed for having had Mike in our lives, receiving his love and kindness and sharing in his passion for life. He was 67 years old.

Born to Sergeant Victor Hall and June Lucretia Call on January 2, 1957, Mike was raised in Washington Terrace, Utah. Mike learned his love of nature and his famed kindness from his mom, June. Her tender example taught him to put others before self, something he faithfully did throughout his entire life.

Mike developed his first love in his youth: sports. He taught himself to ski at the Ogden Country Club and would spend decades skiing the slopes of Snowbasin Ski Resort. Unable to afford to play recreation football and baseball, he studied the mechanics of each sport, throwing baseballs into pillows in his basement while watching the major leagues on a small TV, or waking up early on Saturdays to watch his friends’ football games, memorizing every play. Mike graduated from Bonneville High School in 1975 and went on to play football for his favorite team, the Weber State Wildcats. His time playing football at Weber State made him a forever and devoted fan of the team. He would go on to receive bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry from Weber State.

He learned of the Lord’s love for him and developed his impenetrable faith while serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Mike relied on his faith throughout life’s many challenges and his relationship with God was his most precious.

Mike married Susan Calton in 1982, sharing four children together: Alexander, Katie, Samuel, and Jack. His pride in his children was immense and his love for us palpable, and our pride in him as our father was unparalleled. We are supremely lucky to have been the lifelong recipients of our father’s sustaining love, example, and humor.

Mike married his forever love and eternal companion, Taralyn Smith, in August 2013. Their vows underwritten by a promise to always make one another laugh, Mike and Tara’s marriage was one of tender love, raucous laughter, and deep faith. Mike and Tara were perfectly suited for one another, and their love enveloped all those around them. They relied on their faith and love for one another to weather life’s trials and regardless of adversity believed that they had the “best life” together. We feel Mike when we are in your presence, Tara, and it brings us untold comfort. We are endlessly grateful that our dad brought you into our lives and that we get to call you ours.

He spent most of his career in environmental sales, safeguarding the environment by facilitating the proper disposal of hazardous waste. Mike was a life-long learner and found a career he was uniquely suited for later in life, teaching 7^th grade science at Highland Middle School in Ogden. Mr. Hall saw endless potential in each of his students and believed that they all had bright futures ahead of them.

Mike had life figured out, expertly distilling out of life those things that were most important, filtering the rest out as just noise. It was an effortless and enviable quality to understand so perfectly what was important and what was not. He derived true pleasure out of the simplest things in life: fresh powder on a bluebird day at Snowbasin, walks along the Weber River with Tara and the dogs, freshly mowed lawn at Hall’s Hallow, watching the sun set over Stewart Stadium, or throwing batting practice to his kids.

Mike is survived by his wife, Tara; four children, Alexander Hall, Katie (Taylor) Finlinson, Samuel (Alexandra) Hall, and Jack Hall; three adoring grandchildren, Ira, Nora, and Ada Finlinson; brother, Don (Michelle) Hall; and sisters, Charlene Goode and Julie (Paul) Greaves; mother-in-law, Helen Smith; and brother-in-law, Garr (Cathy) Smith. Mike was preceded in death by his mother and father; and father-in-law, J. Kendall Smith.  

The loss of Mike is profound. His humor brought us joy, his counsel brought comfort, and his perspective grounded us. He inoculated us against the frustrations, complaints, and ills of life, things he so expertly cast aside. He was our armor, and we feel bare without him. But for Mike, life was supremely good. Mike loved life and he would want us to love life, and we will rely on his example to strengthen us during this time of sorrow.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the Washington Terrace 2^nd Ward Chapel, 4855 South 300 West. Friends may visit with family on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. and Saturday from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. at the church. Interment, Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd.