Raymond J. Hall

He was born on August 30, 1912, in a log cabin north of Baker, Montana, to Rush

Jackson and Ethel Moore Hall, the eldest of six siblings. He graduated from Baker High

School. For a time after high school during the depression, he and his brothers took care

of sheep on what had become the Rush Hall Ranch. Ray was especially fond of

recounting his adventures as a sheepherder.

He graduated from Chillicothe Business College in Missouri, and then began a long

career in the oil & gas service and supply industry. After short periods of time in Kansas

and Texas, United Supply & Mfg. transferred him to Tulsa, Oklahoma where he met the

love of his life, Vergie Branscum, at a Sunday school ice skating party. Ray and Vergie

were married in 1942 before he began his service in World War II. He served aboard the

Flagship U.S.S. Makin Island, which was involved in several operations including Iwo

Jima and Okinawa and ending in Tokyo. He remained in the naval reserves for 25 years

and in 1968 was called to active duty for a year in Vietnam with his U.S. Navy SeaBees

unit.

Ray and Vergie moved to Oklahoma City in 1946, where he worked for several years

with Bovaird Supply Co., Liberty Manufacturing Co., Basin Petroleum and after a series

of company mergers, retired from Getty Oil Co. in 1980. He began the H&R Oil Field

Sales & Service Co. in which he worked with his son Ray, Jr. until the mid-1990’s. Ray

loved his work, and made many close friends through it. He was active in organizations

connected with the oil industry and served as the 1965 chairman of the central Oklahoma

chapter of the American Petroleum Institute.

He was very strong in his Christian faith. Ray and Vergie were very active in the Village

Christian Church, and in 1966, together with six other couples, founded North Side

Christian Church where he served as Elder for many years. He thoroughly enjoyed his

participation in groups such as Christian Business Men, American Legion and the Boy

Scouts. Most recently a breakfast prayer group and a gathering of retired oil men were

very special in his life.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his devoted wife Vergie, brother Rushmore

Hall, and brother Bobby Hall. He is survived by his daughter, Judy Hall Barnett, and his

son Raymond Hall, Jr., both of Oklahoma City, grandchildren Kristin Barnett Hickman of

St. Paul, Minnesota, and Mike Barnett of Washington D.C., great-grandsons Charles and

Jack Hickman, brother Bernard and sister Bea, both residing in Montana, and sister

Dorothy of Edmond, Oklahoma. Ray, Jr. has lived in the home for the last several years

and has been a constant companion to him.

A graveside service will be held Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 2:00 PM at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.