Dr. Wesley Haddon Hall entered the Lord’s presence at 6:04 p.m. Saturday, January 8.
He was born on July 6, 1925 in Green Forest, Arkansas, the third son of Wilford Thompson and Ada Lora Dolores Trail Hall. Haddon, as his family called him, graduated 8th grade there before following his father to Cañon City, Colorado where he worked in lumbering and other jobs before enlisting in the Navy near the end of World War II. He served on the U.S.S. Otus and was stationed in Manila, the Philippines, decommissioning ships. During his years on active duty he also completed correspondence courses toward his high school degree. After discharge, he enrolled at Coats High School, completing three remaining years in one year. He then completed Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education at the University of Kansas before admission to the University of Kansas Medical School. Between college and medical school, he worked as a lab assistant in Halstead, Kansas, where he met and fell in love with Norma Jean Pope. They were married on September 26, 1952. After his residency, he bought the medical practice of Dr. Jack Walker and moved to Girard in 1958. Dr. Hall left an indelible mark on Southeast Kansas. He believed deeply that the health care of a community was indispensable to its overall quality of life, and worked tirelessly to ensure that his community had the very best in health care. He worked with other health care professionals and community leaders to advocate and plan for the construction of what is now the Girard Medical Center, which ultimately provided him excellent care for the last two weeks of his life and has helped thousands over the years. Throughout his career, Dr. Hall delivered at least three generations of babies in Southeast Kansas. Dr. Hall loved the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Word of God, wearing out a string of study Bibles as he filled their margins with his notes through the years. He loved Christ’s church and had a passion to lead others to Jesus, hosting Bible studies in the family home and in the waiting room of his office. A founding member of Girard Bible Church, he and Norma donated the land on which the church is built. Through his teaching and example, Dr. Hall taught his children to love the Lord and His Word, as well.
Dr. Hall is survived by his wife of 69 years, Norma Jean (Pope) Hall, seven children and their families, including 15 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday at the Girard Bible Church with Reverend Steve Ward and Pastor Noah Hartmetz officiating. Face masks are required. Burial will be in the Girard Cemetery with Military Honors by the Brown-Bishop Post No. 704, Veterans of Foreign Wars of Parsons, Kansas.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m., Friday at the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home in Girard where friends may call after 2:00 p.m., Friday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Girard Bible Church or the Girard Medical Center Foundation and these may be left at the service or the Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home, 518 W St. John, Box 258, Girard, 66743.
Condolences may be sent to www.wallfuneralservices.com