Douglas Bryant Hall, 77, died Tuesday, April 11 ^th at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina after a short illness, but several years of compromised health.

Doug was born November 8, 1945, in the Grant Community of Grayson County, Virginia, the third and youngest child of Helen Marie (Grubb) and Ralph Lawrence Hall. With his parents and two older sisters, Gaile and Eleanor, the family moved to Havre de Grace, Maryland where his parents worked at the Perryville Medical Center at the end of World War II. Doug enjoyed playing baseball, football, and raising innocent mischief with friends, such as "borrowing" the [ We give S&H Green Stamps ] sign from the grocery store and placing it in front of the local funeral home or choosing up sides after picking up hard apples from the nearby orchard, and having an epic apple fight in the town park refereed by the local cops. He was never much into book learning preferring to work with his hands tinkering with cars and working with a lathe to make beautiful wood bowls and trays. He graduated in 1964 from Havre de Grace High School in Havre de Grace, Maryland and went to work as a fitter, then an electrical repairman, and eventually a supervisor at the Chrysler Assembly Plant in Newark, Delaware.

When the marriage to his high school sweetheart didn't work out, Doug spent his late twenties and early thirties working hard and playing even harder worrying his poor mother. He burnt the candle at both ends, and as he later admitted sometimes in the middle. Whether playing pool, or poker, or skiing, or fox hunting, or boating or water skiing, or hanging out with his friends, he did everything with gusto.

Doug loved the outdoors and was passionate about hunting, liking to make up new recipes for his latest success.  He killed his first deer on his grandad's place in Troutdale at such a young age he had to borrow a wheelbarrow from a neighbor to get his prize home. The 8-point he bagged in the yard last year was a sweet victory after several seasons of not being able to get up in the woods due to health problems. He never stopped hoping to gain enough strength to get back up in the woods where he always felt closest to God.

History was always an interest of Doug especially the French & Indian War period. He enjoyed going to reenactments and museums and preferred hunting with flintlock muzzleloaders. He had a real appreciation for 19 ^th century antiques, buying, selling, and filling his home with their beauty and character.

He joined the board of The Historic 1908 Courthouse serving for several years as president of the nonprofit foundation, always working to improve and maintain the building while trying to make the community aware of the historic and architectural treasure that enriches Independence.

From the time he was a kid Sonny, as he was known then, loved log homes and dreamt of living in his own someday. When he retired after 30 years of service in 1994, Doug was finally able to fulfill his dream and built his log cabin, designed by wife Katy, back home in Grayson County.  He had never built anything before but put as much passion and skill into every detail of the construction as was done with everything he loved.

Doug loved his son Doug Jr. and constantly worried how much guidance was enough without interfering with the needed life lessons a man needs to learn on his own. Doug Jr and his wife Allison living in Bel Air, Maryland have given him two grandsons, Kevin and Andrew.

1988 Doug and Katy spent the hot, hazy, humid summer exploring the waters of the Chesapeake Bay on Doug's 32' boat Contentment. By the end of the season, they got married following the extremely romantic proposal while driving to the courthouse to get a building permit: "While we're here anyhow do you want to pick up a marriage license?" For the next 35 years, Doug never missed a day telling her how much he loved and appreciated her. The sentiments were returned ten-fold.

Doug's quick wit, kindness, love for family and friends, generosity, and zest for life will be greatly missed by wife Kathryn "Katy"/"Kathy" (Clapper) Hall, son Douglas Hall, Jr. and  wife Allison; grandsons Kevin Maynard and Andrew Hall; sister Gaile Pasqualini; nieces and nephews: Peter and Tracey Pasqualini, Karin and David Nagle, Patti Campbell, Sandra and John Crabtree, Rob Clapper, Sarah Reddeg; cousins: Ken and Nancy Cline, Linda and Larry O'Dell, Bobbie Fincher, Diane and Jeff Beasom, Donna and Mike Melton, Ladecka and Bruce Brady, Ronnie and Margaret Osborne, Jerry and Faye Osborne, Tanya, Artie, Nathan, Nicole Sherwood; Derek Bridgeman, Hank and Holly Testerman, Robin and Tom Ford; brother-in-law Bob and Janice Greene Clapper.  Also, life-long friends: Pete and Joanne Fulp, Carrole and Bunk Welsh, Glenn and Connie Higgins, Gerry Gordon, and long-time friends Rusty, Robin, Daniel, and Hailey Crawford, Mike and Debra Hall, Betty Scott, Debra and Ed Greer, and many, many others.

Now Doug joins his parents Helen and Ralph Hall; grandparents Dock and Florence Hall,  Bill and Birdie Grubb; son Douglas Alton Hall, sister Eleanor McKee, niece and nephew-in-law: Deborah Kryger, Troy Campbell; parents-in-law: Harry and Jean Clapper; brothers-in-law: Gary George and Charlie Pasqualini; aunts and uncles: Okie Hiler, Other and Marguerite Grubb, Goldie and Kline Barker, Herbert and Naomi Grubb, Susie and Gene Cline, Jay and Laura Grubb, Annie Grubb, Sydney Earl Grubb, Hazel and Marsh Osborne, Diamond Dale Hall, Barbara and French Harrington, Dorothy Slatery, Linda Hall, Wanda Halsey, Buck Hall, and Larry Hall; cousins: David Grubb, Joy and Laban Testerman, Pete and Margie Barker, Jimmy Grubb, Gene Grubb, Dennis and Judy Bridgeman, Susan Walter, Glenna and Bobby Rutherford, and Dickie Bridgeman in eternal rest.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at 1:00 PM at the Reins Sturdivant Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Debra Hall officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Flowers will be appreciated or memorial donations may be made to the Historic 1908 Courthouse, PO Box 336, Independence, VA, 24348.

Reins Sturdivant Funeral Home is serving the Hall family.