| Bio | David Lee Hall
November 10, 1939 ~ October 26, 2020 (age 80)
Obituary
Mr. David Lee Hall, also lovingly known as “Pops” and “Captain Dave,” departed this earth and strolled through Heaven’s golden gates on October 25, 2020 at 11:52p.m., sixteen days shy of his 81st birthday. For those who truly knew David, stubbornness and resilience were just two of his many attributes. Although not distinctly known, it seems as though these attributes contributed to his ability to live with Neuroendocrine Cancer without detection, until treatment was no longer an option. He resided with his family upon diagnosis and spent the following 18 precious days soaking in all of their love, eating chocolate ice cream (his favorite), watching his Kansas City Chiefs play, listening to his old records, and simply sharing moments that will be forever treasured.
David was born to James and Francis (Bernice) Hall in Independence, Missouri on November 10, 1939. He was the eldest brother to Richard Hall and Diane (Hall) Corwin and spent his childhood immersed in church activities and working at the drugstore at his father’s pharmacy (He had a grip of steel which he said he developed from all the rock-hard ice cream he was tasked with scooping at the drugstore). He graduated from Van Horn High School in 1958 and immediately began college where he earned his Associates Degree in Business. David began working at The Vendo Company in Kansas City, Missouri at the ripe age of 19. He was a dedicated employee and poured himself into his job, often the first to arrive in the morning and last to leave in the evening. He transferred with the company to Corinth, Mississippi in 1980 and then to Fresno, California in 1982. He retired from The Vendo Company in 2004, having befriended many colleagues along the way. In 2013 he relocated to the Sacramento area where he resided until the time of his passing.
David was such a complex man and it is therefore difficult to know where to begin to convey whom he truly was. When a good friend of his was asked how he would describe him, his response was: “He loved God, Family and Country. He valued peace and friendship.” David was reserved and introspective -always listening, observing and pondering. He was therefore full of opinions, which he had no problem communicating, although he listened much more than he spoke. He felt things deeply, all range of emotions included. There was a strong gentleness about him, which attracted the company of animals. He adored his pets and even became friends at one point with a squirrel whom he was able to handfeed. He loved to laugh and was full of sarcasm and quirky humor. He definitely knew how to have a good time and if you were close enough to him, you often received his special “Salute.”
David was a great cook (his homemade chili, corn fritters, cream puffs, pork chops and scrambled hamburgers were the best) and he was one of the pickiest eaters on the planet. He had a major sweet tooth and you could always expect at least two full bowls of candy on his coffee table at any given time. When we learned of his cancer diagnosis, the joke between us was: “Well, at least you don’t have Diabetes.” Summer was his favorite season and during his younger years he would spend the weekends grilling and laying out in the pool, often getting way too much sun. He despised cold weather and he likely held a record somewhere for being able to layer the most amount of clothing. It is therefore fitting he chose to leave right before the daily temperatures began to drop. David loved music, especially classic country and gospel. There was not a word search book or a pot of coffee (a pack of cigarettes or can of beer in his younger years) that could stand a chance against him. He was the World’s Best Procrastinator. On Saturdays you could expect him to be watching golf and football on Sundays. He was a devoted Kansas City Chiefs fan which makes Super Bowl 2020 even more special, as he left with his team as reigning champions. David was a great listener, gave the best hugs, and somehow knew how to find humor in what seemed to be the worst of times, which was a wonderful attribute as a parent. Heaven truly gained a beautiful soul.
David is preceded in death by his infant son, Christopher Hall; Daughter, Beth (Hall) Rogers; his brother, parents and step-parents; and cat buddies Frasier and Rikoo-Na, whom he loved dearly. We are comforted when imagining the beautiful homecoming he likely received upon his passing. David is survived by his cat, Frank; Daughter, Brittany (Hall) Lopez; Son-in-law, Francisco Lopez; Sister, Diane Corwin (and husband Don); Grandchildren: Christopher Lopez (and wife Veronica), Adriel Lopez, Josiah Lopez, Aiyana Lopez, Izaiah Lopez, Zehkai Lopez, Laura Briley (and husband Tim), Jason Rogers; Great-Grandchildren and countless friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held on April 24, 2021 in the Sacramento area. Please email britthaswings@aol.com if you would like to be provided with specific details closer to the date of the event. In lieu of flowers or if you are interested in participating in an act of love to honor him, there is a memorial fundraiser set up with Best of Friends Animal Society, which supports a cause he held very dear to his heart. The link is: http://support.bestfriends.org/goto/Rememberingdavidhall. We love you Pops and miss you terribly. We’ll see you when we get there, and in the meantime, we’ll try to “live in the sunshine. We’ll understand it all by and by.” By: Brittany Lopez |
