George Constant Hall, 1921-2010

 Dad, Feb. 2009, Scott, LA.  Digital photo by Liz Hall Morgan.

I haven't posted in a few weeks because my dad finally lost his long, hard-fought battle with cancer Jan. 24 [although I'd have to say he kicked cancer's *** until the last month or two].  There's so much I have to say about him, but I just can't write it all coherently right now.  So I'll just say he was a beloved dad, husband, brother, grandfather & great-grandfather; an amazingly tough old bird to tolerate & practically thrive on chemo for 2 1/2 years in his late 80s, and stay upbeat most of the time; incredibly generous both in spirit and in material things; and a wonderful storyteller.  I feel like our family has lost its spark without him.

Here's part of his obituary--my notes in brackets:
George was a native of Scott [well, actually he was born in the community called Ossun, La.--Scott was the p.o. address--in the home of his grandfather Constant Legere, from whom he gets his middle name] and lived in Sulphur [La.] since 1935. He attended the First Baptist Church of Sulphur where he served as a deacon. He was a US Navy veteran of World War II and flew F6F Hellcats off the USS Hancock. He loved gardening, hunting and fishing. George sang and told stories with the Agin' Cajuns. [His church's cleverly-named senior choir.] He was a graduate of Sulphur High and LSU.

I wrote a few remarks my husband graciously read for me at the funeral service.  I'll have to type them up later & perhaps post.  We played a French version of "Amazing Grace," his Agin' Cajun friends sang hymns, and "The Lord's Prayer" was read in Cajun French and English, all of which he would have loved.  I'm so grateful for the Navy honor guard who came out on short notice and my niece's boyfriend who played "Taps" live and beautifully on trumpet so we wouldn't have to use a tape; I know Dad would have been most proud of that.  Though sad he is gone, I will be forever grateful for the time our family had together in October for my wedding, and for being able to spend time with him again before he died.  He will be forever in our hearts.