Walter Norman Hall (Norman), beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend went home to the loving arms of his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, April 29, 2020. After a courageous battle with brain cancer, he left this world with peace and grace to begin the Hall reunion in glory.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Aubrey and Myrtle; his brothers, Addison, Winfred and Ryland; his sisters, Lorraine, Margaret, Julia Rae and Bertie; as well as his beloved wife of 62 years, Sylvia Dahn Hall.
The Deltaville native graduated from West Point High School in 1942. After graduation, he worked for the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Corporation in Baltimore, Md., as an aircraft mechanic.
He was drafted in 1943 to fight during World War II as a member of the Greatest Generation. As a Marine and a member of the U.S. Navy, he served as a pharmacist’s mate third class and a hospital apprentice second class (corpsman and medic), and served in the South Pacific on the island of Tinian.
After his discharge in 1946, he studied architecture at Old Dominion College (part of the College of William and Mary), as well as Virginia Tech (then RPI). After his college years, he worked with Dixon and Norman Architects, for Buckingham Slate as national architectural director, and the Commonwealth of Virginia as assistant architectural director for mental health and hygiene before founding his own business in Richmond, W. Norman Hall Associates and Norhall Enterprise Inc., where he specialized in the sale and installation of architectural products throughout Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland and the Carolinas.
Management of Hall Associates transitioned to his son, Chris Hall, in 1987, which enabled Norman Hall to return to architecture by managing Stratton Design of Winchester before retirement.
He is deeply loved and survived by his son, Christopher W. Hall (Dawn) in Mechanicsville; his daughter, Kristina St. Pere (Poquoson); grandchildren, Lindsay R. Hall and Michael Geithman (Jessica); and great-grandchildren, Scarlett and Everleigh. As one of eight children, he is also survived by a host of cousins, nieces and nephews too numerous to name (you all know who you are!).
In honoring Norman Hall, it is important to note that he provided the architectural drawings for the original Deltaville Community Center building along with the present-day Lower Middlesex Volunteer Rescue Squad building, the Bristow Faulkner Funeral Homes in Saluda, Mathews and Tappahannock, as well as numerous residences in Deltaville. For years, he donated drawings for homes constructed by Hands Across Middlesex/Habitat for Humanity.
He will long be remembered for his special gifts and accomplishments: his ability to fix or build almost anything, his ability to drive and pass his vision test well into his 90s, his sense of humor and lively conversations, and his deep love for our country — fully demonstrated by his published work “Greatest Conspiracies: Wake Up United States of America” from 2014. Throughout his entire life, he was quick to make friends and loved telling stories about Deltaville and the history of Middlesex County. And, if you never saw him dance to the music of the Big Band era, you missed a special treat. He and Sylvia could definitely cut a rug!
In addition, he served as a greeter with Richmond’s ACCA temple and was recognized as a 50-year mason.
A graveside ceremony was conducted at Philippi Christian Church cemetery on Monday, May 4, officiated by the Rev. Edward Harrow. A memorial service is planned for a later date.
Any cards or letters can be sent to Chris W. Hall, P.O. Box 384, Deltaville, VA 23043. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Lower Middlesex Volunteer Rescue Squad and/or Hands Across Middlesex/Habitat for Humanity.
