Charles Hall Sr.

Charles Hall, the son of the late Mr. James and Mrs. Densie Hall, was born in Selma, Alabama on March 27, 1928. He was the fourth-born son out of 9 children; three daughters and 6 sons. He left home at an early age to work in the fields and spent many of his younger years living with his godparents, Irvin & Elizabeth Craig and helping them work their farm. As a young man, he met and married Hester Lee Calhoun, and they soon started their family. He moved to Portland, Oregon in 1953 where he united with Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Sylvester McCullumn. He found that while separated from his young family, his friends and church members were a source of support and inspiration as he looked for work and tried to secure housing for his young family.

He found employment at the ShipYards and at FMC Corp as a painter and sandblaster, and worked his way up to the position of foreman. He was soon able to purchase a house, and felt it was the proper time to send for his wife and 2 children to join him in Portland early in 1954. The last of their three children was born here in Portland. As a result of his wife’s illness and untimely death, Charles was widowed in 1971. But being a dedicated family man, he was more determined than ever to be successful and do the best for his children, working hard to provide for their needs. He became a self-employed painter, home remodeler/handyman and landscaper. At one point, he established himself in business as sole proprietor of Hall Enterprises, Inc. and performed many small commercial and industrial paint jobs, including a Residence Inn remodel in Vancouver, WA and painting the Walnut Park Plaza parking garage on NE Killingsworth.

After a period of time, Charles married Gladys, his second wife, with whom he already shared a daughter named Shirley. As a result of this union, Charles was blessed with 6 more step-children – 3 boys and 3 girls, but the marriage later ended in divorce. In his spare time, Charles enjoyed such things as hunting, travel (road trips!), music – he loved to sing, as well as church and social events.

Preceded in death by his parents and godparents, two wives, all his older siblings,

(3 brothers and a sister), and one nephew, he leaves to mourn his passing, children :Charles Jr.(& Betty) Hall, Patricia (& David) Montgomery of Portland, Oregon and Andrew James Hall of Lovington, NM. Also Shirley (& Ernest) Stevens of Cleveland, OH and son, Leslie Boyd of Kenosha Park, MI; brothers Harry Hall (Apalachicola, FL) and Mack Arthur Hall,(Port St. Joe, FL); two sisters , Annie Sue Fields, (Port St. Joe, FL), Army Jane (& Stanley) Mitchell of Wilmington, NC; seven grandchildren; 3great-grandchildren, brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and a host of other relatives and dear friends.