Hal Balyeat

Hal is survived by his mother, Marilyn and Bill Hawley, his siblings, Elaine and Sam Price, Megan and Vince Brigham and Mindy and Paul Brown, a large family of nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and dear friends, especially Skye Philbrick. He was predeceased by his father, Hal, and his beloved uncle, Dick Ellis.

Hal, with his good looks, unforgettable smile, infectious laugh and incredible sense of humor, could bring energy to any room and depth to any conversation. If ever you engaged in a conversation with Hal you understood his wit, intelligence and strong will, along with a sense of Hal being grounded in his beliefs. He loved music, film, travel, the mountains and the arts. A graduate of The University of Colorado and the University of Oklahoma College of Law, Hal found success at each step of his career.

Hal lived in Austin, Texas, most recently, having lived in several cities around the country. His travels took him all over the world and he enjoyed meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. His intelligence and creativity were the force behind his constant search for meaning in this life.

Losing Hal is difficult to accept by family and friends and impacts each in significant, painful and permanent ways. The strength and courage he displayed in his fight against mental illness was remarkable. It was a long battle, known by his family and close friends, that was too much for Hal to bear any longer. Our hope is that we will remember Hal's brilliant humor, raucous laughter and incredible life while shining a light on the need to learn more about mental illness.

The family will have a private memorial service to remember Hal. We ask all of you to think of Hal, not in his dark moments, but as a light that was brighter than most and extinguished by a terrible disease. May his light shine the need to understand mental illness and move many to consider the mental health of loved ones, friends and family; especially in these uncertain times.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a mental health or substance abuse facility of your choice.