Born in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in 1943, John was the eldest child of Vila and Col. Bob Hall. As the son of an army colonel, John lived all over the world graduating from high school in Bremerhaven, Germany in 1961, where he earned multiple letters in three sports. He was known as the “versatile gridder” in the Post Newspaper and developed a lifelong love of German cookies and pastries.
John earned a degree from Texas Technological College (Texas Tech) where he majored in accounting, was a member of the Air Force ROTC, and met his future wife Carol Barnes on a blind date. John could show you the exact spot on campus where he saw her for the first time.
Upon graduation, John purchased a “springtime yellow” 1966 Ford Mustang that sits in his garage today (the receipt in the top drawer). This was a wise purchase as the car odometer rolled twice acting as a family member’s primary mode of transportation until its retirement in 1993. Yes, the car still runs.
John married Carol in Dallas on June 17, 1967, honeymooning in New Orleans before making their first home in North Dakota where John was a missileer at Grand Forks Air Force base, earning the rank of Captain. Working in a missile silo, John improved on his love of reading preferring westerns, Civil War, and WWII novels, as well as the Horatio Hornblower series. John was never without a book and would appreciate it if everyone would support their local libraries and used bookstores.
In Grand Forks, John and Carol had their first child, John Culley before moving back to Texas where John obtained his MBA from the University of Texas, then purchased a home in San Antonio in 1971. In 1974, the couple had a daughter, Amanda Jane. John loved his family deeply enjoying weekends with them boating on the lake, coaching youth sports teams, or just sitting together on the beach.
Loving all animals, John was never without a dog. He routinely made sure opossums that made their way into the garage were fed before taking them to the park, always painting their toenails to identify repeat visitors. John will be missed by the Northern Hills neighborhood cats, many of which adopted him, as he always provided a warm dry space from which he privately ran his own catch, neuter and release charity.
In retirement, John became known as “Cool Dad” to his grandchildren, their friends’ and all the are coaches and parents, as he attended ALL events, games and practices in San Antonio. When he wasn’t spectating, John was either building a World War I era model airplane, model train, or volunteering at the Stone Oak Methodist Hospital Emergency Room, where he accumulated 8,161 volunteer hours over 15 years. John enjoyed his friendships with the nurses and staff in the ER and appreciated the fact that when he had his own health issues those same people made sure that everyone knew he was “their guy” and wanted him back volunteering.
John was preceded in death by his Beloved Carol; his mother, Vila Madeline Yager Hall; and father, Colonel Robert John Hall.
He is survived by his son, John Culley Hall, M.D.; wife, Ellie and their children, Tyler William and Lauren Olivia all of Southlake; his daughter, Amanda Jane Hall Head, her husband, Gabriel and their children, Taylen and John Hudson with fiancée, Meghan Anne Corbran all of San Antonio; his sister, Pate Adams Hall of Corpus Christi; his brother, David Hall of Hempstead; as well as his dog, Bob Uecker and hard to find cat Lincoln.
Services will be on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. at Porter Loring Mortuary North, 2102 N. Loop 1604 E., San Antonio, Texas 78232.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Animal Defense League of San Antonio or to the Stone Oak Methodist Volunteer fund.
Burial will take place at Grove Hill Cemetery at a later date.
