Martha Laurayne Hall

Martha Laurayne Hall, 90, of Omaha Nebraska passed away Saturday April 26th, 2025 at Josie Hospice House in Omaha Nebraska. Marty was born in Enders Nebraska on September 9th, 1934 the daughter of General Lee and Neoma (Sherman) Hood. Martha/Marty grew up on her parents’ farm with her nine siblings. She was the seventh of ten children. She attended most of her grade and high school education in Wolbach, Nebraska. After high school graduation she attended higher education in Kearney Nebraska and attained her Teacher’s Certificate. Teaching was her parents’ idea, so, after teaching for two years, she moved to Omaha with her sisters and met Robert Eden Hall at the Paxton Hotel. It was love at first sight. She took her sisters to where he worked and pointed at him and said, “That’s the man I’m going to marry.” After three months of courting, they married on November 11, 1955. After four years of marriage, they moved to California where three children were born in less than three years. Dad said, “let’s move back.” After finding a house in Omaha, she lived there for 63 years.

After her children were grown, Marty worked various jobs as a dishwasher/cook at King’s Food host, a telephone associate at Sears, and a drapery sales associate at Montgomery Ward. She retired from Wards in 1992 to take care of her husband when he was diagnosed with bone cancer.

Marty enjoyed bowling with her husband and the Friday Night round-robin poker parties with several friends or family. She loved the annual Hood Family reunions in locations all over Nebraska, Colorado, Utah and Washington. She liked conversing with her nine siblings, their spouses and twenty-nine nieces and nephews.

Marty, Bob and the three kids loved to travel by car/van with a small camper. If arguing ensued she would break it up with an excited finger point to the countryside and exclaim, “Look at the deer!”

She loved Husker football and could get quite vocal during games. One time, we had a garage sale, at the same time we tried to sell our paternal uncle’s pick-up. A prospective customer stopped to look at the truck right after the Huskers made a touchdown. Marty started screaming and the customer ran back to his car and drove away as quickly as possible.

The family gathered every Sunday after church at our favorite restaurants, I Don’t Know, and I Don’t Care. In later years, the family grabbed something to eat and met at mom’s house. Afterwards, we played rousing games of Bananagrams, Pass the Pigs, Poker or various other activities. Marty couldn’t see or hold pieces in her hand, so she served as the family starter pistol and would raise her head long enough to say, “Go.” Playing the game itself wasn’t important, what was important to her was the family gathered and the inevitable laughter that always followed. If a loud discussion arose, ever the peacekeeper she would say, 'Look at the deer!' Even though we were inside the house.

Martha is survived by her children, Wesley Hall (Mary Jane) Rhonda Hall, Laurayne Hall, grandchildren Rowe Hall and his girlfriend (Stephanny Velasquez) and Andrei Mallari. Sisters Clella-Kelly Williams of Bellevue Nebraska and Jeanne Mathis of Gordon Nebraska. Brother, Ernest-Bud Hood of Council Bluffs Iowa. Numerous nieces and nephews. Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Hall in 1992, her parents, Lee and Neoma. Her brothers, Jack Hood, Karol Hood, Harvey Hood, her sisters, Mary Grace Harris, Leota Frandsen and Leora Denison. Her nephews, Robbie Hood, Don Hood, Kyle Frandsen, Lyman Williams, Jeff Williams, and Ron Hood.

Now, she resides in a mansion in Heaven with the Lord and is having the greatest Family Reunion.