Gary Hall

Gary M. Hall, age 89, of the Packanack Lake section of Wayne, passed away peacefully with his family lovingly by his side on Sunday, April 7, 2019.

Gary was born in Passaic to Elsa and Maynard Hall and he grew up in Rutherford. He attended Sylvan and Pierrepont schools as a child, then Rutherford High School where he graduated with the Class of 1947.

After high school, Gary attended two years at Syracuse University before transferring to Newark College of Engineering.

In between starting and finishing his college education, Gary met the love of his life whose uncle and aunt lived in Rutherford and happened to be friends with Gary’s parents. Her name was Gloria Coon and she was from Michigan visiting her uncle and aunt. Gary and Gloria’s paths crossed by virtue of her uncle and aunt and his parents friendship. They fell in love and married on Saturday, April 7, 1951.

After marriage, Gary finished his education at Newark College of Engineering, graduating as a mechanical engineer in 1952. He immediately accepted a direct commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force Reserve and went to Lakland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas for officer basic training. Subsequently, he was ordered to Scott Air Force Base in Belleville, Illinois to attend officer communication school. Soon after graduation, Gary became eligible for release from active duty. He continued reserve duty for eight years before being released as Captain. During his years in the Air Force, his young wife Gloria always accompanied him and, throughout those years, they welcomed the first three of their four children.  

After his Air Force service, Gary joined Worthington Corporation training program and subsequently chose to start work in Wellsville, NY. After two years, he changed jobs and went to work for Walter Kidde and Company in Belleville, NJ at which time he moved to Clifton for ten years before moving to the Packanack Lake section of Wayne in 1966. While living in Clifton, Gary and Gloria welcomed their fourth child. Gary’s career at Kidde spanned 27 years then, in 1982, he left Kidde and took a job with Valcor Engineering Corporation in Springfield, NJ. He continued to work at Valcor for the next fourteen years before permanent retirement in 1996.

One of Gary’s favorite activities was playing tennis. He played a lot with the Packanack Tennis Club and even served as their president for many years. Before and after retirement, he had no problem keeping himself occupied. He continued to play tennis and, being a lover of the outdoors, he was an avid gardener who enjoyed the creative and design side of this hobby as much as the nurturing and cultivating part. He and Gloria’s yard was always so beautiful which must have been a welcomed enjoyment for those in their neighborhood.

Being an engineer, Gary loved projects of all kinds. Moving walls, or doing plumbing and electrical work was no problem for him and, frequently, his children were the fortunate recipients of his endless skills. It was Gary who made the Packanack Tennis Club’s bulletin board and he even installed a fire suppression sprinkler system in his own house.

Above all, family was the most important part of Gary’s life. When his children were young, it was tradition to visit Gloria’s family in Michigan two weeks every year for reunions and, later in life, to visit Gloria’s sister in Florida. Gary took great pride and delight in his grandchildren, always doing his best to be present for his grandchildren’s athletic events. After Gloria’s passing, it became a tradition that, whenever there was a wedding in the family, Grandpa Gary always got up to dance to a special song with all of his beautiful granddaughters.

Gary’s family give thanks to him for being a wonderful and loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. His family and friends were blessed to have shared life with this quiet man who possessed an enjoyable dry sense of humor and who was known for always being there if you needed help with anything! It’s worth noting that Gary passed away on the date of his wedding anniversary. One can’t help but wonder if it was his desire to be reunited with his beloved Gloria to celebrate.

Gary was the beloved husband of Gloria, blessed in marriage for 58 years until her passing in 2007. He was the loving father of Margaret G. Grutzmacher and her husband Mark of Wayne, Maureen Matano and her former husband Gary of Wayne, Gerald M. Hall of Baltimore, MD, and George M. Hall and his wife Lynn of Jefferson; cherished by eleven grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.

‍

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Gary’s name are asked to consider either Packanack Lake Fire Company 5, 5 Lake Drive West, Wayne, NJ 07470 (www.plfc5.com), or Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, KS 66675 (www.woundedwarriorproject.org/Donate).