Eugene Hall Jr.

Eugene Hall Jr. was born on May 29, 1927 in West Point, Mississippi. He was the second child of Eugene Hall Sr. and Ethel Lenoir. His older sister, Alice Ann Hall Jacobs preceded him in death in 2005. He moved to Indianapolis as a boy later attending Crispus Attucks High School. Eugene was a proud member of the United States Army where he was stationed in Hawaii during World War II. He returned to school where he received an Associate's Degree from Purdue University. Eugene's Christian walk was an essential part of his journey. He was baptized as a child and later, in the mid-1940s, he joined the Mt. Zion Baptist Church congregation. He was a member of the Butler Barraca Sunday School Class and he taught Sunday school with Rev. Robert King. He was an active member of his beloved Mt. Zion until his death. In 1949, on a visit to Mississippi, he met the love of his life, Hattye F. Raspberry. They wed on July 23, 1950 on the campus of Okolona College in Okolona, MS. They immediately moved to Indianapolis where they soon started a family. Their children, Stephan Milton, Lloyd Eugene, Leah Michelle (Ward), and Cheryl Wynne (Hall-Russell) turned the young couple into a family of six. They were married 67 years. Eugene was a skilled carpenter, no doubt influenced by his father-in-law James L. Raspberry to whom he was very close. He balanced a job at the U.S. Post Office, while freelancing carpentry work and selling building supplies. After 19 years at the post office he became a full-time business owner. He purchased rental property and continued to work into his 80s. Eugene was known for his firm handshake and equally firmly-held opinions. A tall fit man, he enjoyed good health most of his life. He could be seen in his late 70s fixing the roof on his 16th and College property, despite the pleas of his children to hire the work out. Eugene departed this life after a short illness surrounded by his family. In addition to his children he leaves a daughter-in-law Sue Dale Hall (Lloyd); a son-in-law Herman Ward (Leah), aunts Louvenia Williams (St. Louis, MO), Ruth King (Macon, MS) and Hettie McMullen (Tuscaloosa, AL). He also leaves his brother-in law David (Cynthia), sister-in-law, Sondra Raspberry, and brother-in-law Willie Coleman along with his adoring grandchildren Stephan Jr., Hilary, Marcus, Justin, Nathan, Mitchell, Jewel, Cameron and Adia as well as 14 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Niece Judy Gibson, and nephews Jerry and Jeffrey Jacobs and siblings Cynthia Hall, Lavisha Hall, Dorothy Hall, Sheila Chappy and Sheldon Hall will also cherish his memory.