Services for Eugene Hall is on Wed. Jan 2nd at 11am with Visitation 1 hour prior at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Franklin.

Eugene Wesley Hall passed away on Friday, December 28, 2012.  He was born on February 7, 1923 in Tipton, Indiana to Harvey Keith Hall and Mabel Frances (Clark) Hall.  At the early age of nine, he supported himself selling newspapers and working at a drugstore.  He attended school in Indianapolis and Arcadia, Indiana, where he played basketball.  He graduated early from high school and attended Butler University until enlisting in the United States Navy during World War II.  As a Yeoman 2nd Class, he received a presidential citation for meritorious conduct for reinforcement of the 1st Marine Division in Guadal-Canal in 1942.  In addition, he received many other awards:  American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, and Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal, which bears a constellation of stars indicating seven major engagements.

It was in the Navy that he met the love of his life, Frances Elaine Severi, a WAVE, also in the Navy in Minneapolis, MN.  They were married on July 16, 1944. This marriage of 68 years was blessed with ten children.  Following honorable discharges for each, the couple made their final home in Franklin, Minnesota.  Eugene became the editor and later publisher and owner of The Franklin Tribune and also drove school bus.  Later, he became a rural letter carrier until retirement at the age of 60.  Retirement brought with it the many joys of travel to places like Hawaii, Alaska, Australia, Japan, Norway, Mexico, Panama Canal, the Caribbean, along with family visits throughout the U.S.   His life passions included bowling, horseshoes, gardening, playing cards, family gatherings, and especially saunas and drinking coffee.  During his life, he fought various bouts of malaria from the war, underwent double knee replacement, and survived several strokes. He was a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, the American Legion, and the Veterans of Foreign War.

He is survived by his wife, Elaine, of Franklin, MN. Children:  Daughter-in-law Mary Lou Hall of Mound, MN; Shirley (Lester) Zempel of Morgan, MN; Brenda (Randy) Lundberg of Cary, NC; Randy (Romy) Hall of Burnesville, MN; Pamela (Randy) Spadino of North Branch, MN; Robert (Julie) Hall of Franklin, MN; Rosalyn (Garnett) Pederson of Park Rapids, MN; and Wendy (Brian) Pederson of Franklin, MN and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Robert Hall; daughter, JoAnn; and sons, Jerry and Royce.

God bless the memory of Eugene Wesley Hall.