Philip A. Hall

Professor Philip A. Hall, age 81, passed away on Sunday, September 4, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas, on his mother’s birthday (Frances Hall) and with Yvette Huerta, his wife, at his side after a protracted and brave battle with esophageal cancer. He was born on June 20, 1941, in Boston, Massachusetts and shortly thereafter was adopted by Frances Adkins Hall and Prof. Robert Anderson Hall, Jr. out of the New England Home of Little Wanderers. Phil spent most of his youth in Ithaca, NY, where his father taught Romance languages at Cornell University. His father’s scholarly work took him with his family, from Australia, where Phil spent time on a sheep ranch to a year in Italy accompanied only by his Dad at the age of ten, learning to speak Italian. He also spent the last two years of high school in Rome, where he graduated from The Overseas School of Rome in 1959, as well as taking a year off from college, spending time in Europe, including Italy and Sweden. Phil’s life was enriched at sundry levels, providing the foundation for his very productive and highly purposeful life. Upon graduating from Cornell in 1964 with a BA in government, Phil attended Washington University in St Louis where he met his first wife, Sue McCoy and obtained a Master’s Degree in Social Work. Upon receiving the Master’s degree, he obtained a direct commission from the Army as a social worker in the Medical Service Corps and was sent to Brooke General Hospital where he carried out his duties and served Army personnel and family members including burn victims and amputees with the deepest regard and loyalty, during the Vietnam War. After serving 3 1/2 years in the Army, Phil and his former wife moved to Chicago, where he began work on a PhD from the School of Social Service Administration at The University of Chicago. Once he completed 2 years of course work, the family, now including a daughter, Rebecca, moved back to San Antonio, where Phil’s son was then born. Phil worked at The Patrician Movement before taking a teaching position at The Worden School of Social Service at Our Lady of the Lake University where he was known for his thought provoking teaching style and academic integrity. Phil received his Ph.D in 1980 and retired from The Worden in 2012. Throughout all of his kids’ school years, Phil could be found chaperoning school trips, taking them to soccer games and cheering them on from the sidelines, attending school functions, piano recitals and volleyball games, showing up for everything, always being there for them. Over the years he was involved in many community activities and efforts such as his church, SAMM, The Wesley Community Center, the Ella Austin Community Center and other similar agencies. One of Phil’s most soul-stirring experiences came in his later life while meeting his half sisters, his birth mother’s (Rose McCobb’s) daughters, Marilyn and Phyllis. Coming together with them at an uncanny moment, 6 months before his death, he was comforted by their non judgmental and unconditional love as they supported him in identifying and affirming his roots and cradling his sense of belonging. Phil is survived by his loving wife, Yvette of 23 years; his children from his former marriage, Rebecca Castro and her husband, Jaime; Stephen Hall and his wife, Dimity Sams; stepdaughter, Mirasol Enriquez and her husband, Juan and their daughter, Maite; stepmother, Alice Colby-Hall; grandchildren, Enedina and Joaquin Castro; his sisters Diana Goodall and her husband Bill; Marilyn Faust and husband James; Phyllis Stoddard and numerous nieces and nephews and friends. He was predeceased by his parents Robert and Frances Hall and his sister, Carol Erickson as well as his birth mother, Rose McCobb. Much is owed to numerous physicians, nurses health care workers that cared for Phil. However, his greatest advocates, whose care of him was priceless, included Dr Craig Kuebker, Dr Steven Kalter and Dr. Ananth Prasad. A special thank you is also given to Gabriela Maddox, who worked long hours to provide caregiving and support to Phil, his wife and family.

FUNERAL SERVICEFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 202210:30 A.M.COLONIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH5247 VANCE JACKSON RD

Father Jim Rutkowski and Pastor Germaine Mathis will officiate. Service to be followed by a reception at the church. Interment with military honors will follow in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at 1:15pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St Peter-St Joseph’s Children’s Home and/or The American Cancer Society.