George Edgar Hall

George Edgar Hall, 93, of Cochise, passed away at 1:00 a.m., Saturday, November 23, 2013, in Tucson. He had surgery from a broken hip and never fully recovered. George was born at West Frankfort, Illinois, January 14, 1920 to George Orn and Ella May (Snethen) Hall. He was married to Josephine Harris, Doris Kirk, and then to Vera Needham. In 1969, he married Evalyn Louise Pettit. There are over 160 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Survivors include sons: Benjamin Hall (Joyce), Murietta, California; Arthur Hall (Lisa), Fountain, Colorado; and Curtis Hall, Albemarle, North Carolina; daughters: Violet Toler (Larry), West Frankfort, Illinois; Rita Mroczek (Tom), Vancouver, Washington; Millie Cichon (Jim), Pearce, Arizona; Sheila Carlis (Gene), Badin, North Carolina; Phyllis Woodley, Sierra Vista, Arizona; Mary Eva Parker (Tal), Cochise, Arizona; and Jessica Contreras, Cochise, Arizona; and sister: Naomi Green, West Frankfort, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his parents; son: Gary Hall; daughters: Marian Hall, Verna Gilliam, and Ruth Newlin; brothers: Pleasant, Fred, Marshall, Paul, and James Hall; and sisters: Opal Hall and Ruby Perry. George, an Army Veteran of World War II served in Europe and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. As a Military Policeman in Germany, he and fellow soldiers helped to feed many starving children. It was with great joy he met one of those children this year at the Louiseno Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution where he was honored for his service. The Children of the American Revolution also honored George. He recently enjoyed the Washington D.C. Honor Flight for WWII Veterans, and just a few weeks ago, became a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He loved his country and wore his WWII cap proudly. As a young man, George worked as a civilian in Alaska. Employed by Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, he caught rattle snakes, milked them for anti-venom and displayed his taxidermy projects for the school's Zoology department. Later, he and his brother, Fred, opened a reptile zoo, where they had different species of snakes and other reptiles endemic to the Arizona desert. He worked many years for the Department of Zoology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. After retirement, George became a writer and had over 100 articles published in various books and magazines. George, his parents, and siblings all survived the 5-state tornado of 1925. His story of an unusual happening during that storm appears in Chicken Soup for the Dog and Cat Lover's Soul. Together, George and wife, Evalyn, started holding church services in their home. That small gathering grew to become Wynne Chapel in Cochise, Arizona. George loved family gatherings, hiking in the mountains, and story-telling. He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by a multitude of family and friends. Viewing will be at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 26, 2013 at Westlawn Chapel and Mortuary, 105 S. Arizona Ave, Willcox, Arizona. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.at Wynne Chapel, 2077 N.1st Ln., Richland Ranchettes, Cochise, Arizona. Burial will follow the service at Russellville-Dragoon Cemetery, 4190 Dragoon Rd., Dragoon, Arizona. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Wynne Chapel.

George Edgar Hall

January 14, 1920 - November 23, 2013