Philip H. Hall, 77, passed away Aug. 1, 2014 from complications of advanced COPD and diabetes.
Born Aug. 10, 1936 in Opp, Ala. to Thomas and Minnie Lee Hall, he grew up in Fairhope.
Phil graduated from Fairhope High School in 1954. He joined the Air Force and served four years during the Korean War.
After returning home, he spent several years working construction. In 1963, he and Polly moved to Titusville, Fla.
Phil went to work at Pan Am at the Cape and attended Brevard Community College at night until he got his degree in industrial management. He worked for Pan Am for 11 years, and left to move to Alaska in 1974.
A lifelong outdoorsman, Phil’s dream came true when a new friend invited he and Polly to come to Haines, Alaska to help put a roof on their new cabin. It was 1973. In 1974, Phil and Polly and their two youngest children moved to Alaska where they lived for 24 years.
After working in a sawmill and construction in Haines for 3 ½ years, they moved to Homer, Alaska in 1977 when Polly was transferred through her job.
They had a commercial fishing boat built, the Dawn II, and spent three years fishing and shrimping.
He later went to work for Neal & Co. Contractors in Homer, and as building superintendent, he traveled the state from Homer, Kodiak, Fairbanks, Cold Bay and Adak Island and spent a lot of time in Dillingham on Bristol Bay.
After 11 great years in Homer, Polly was transferred to Wasilla, Alaska in 1988. In 1989, after 11 years, Phil retired at age 53.
Phil loved living in the Matanuska Valley and became a Master Gardner. He enjoyed many moose and caribou hunts, traveling the state.
In 1997, Polly retired, and they moved back to Titusville. That lasted until 2006 when they bought a cabin in Wasilla and spent summers there for five years.
Phil is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Polly, of the family home in Titusville, Fla. Also surviving are his sister, Linda Gleaves of Meridian, Miss.; sister-in-law, Dee Smith of Titusville; sons, Phil Jr., John (Paula) and Mark (Angie), all of Little Rock, Ark.; daughter, Dawn M. Hall-Jones; son, James F. “Jim” Hall, both of Anchorage, Alaska; a stepson, Lloyd Morris (Anita) of Saraland; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Phil’s name to the Food Bank at Indian River City United Methodist Church, 1355 Cheney Hwy., Titusville, FL 32780.
At Phil’s request, he will be cremated and his ashes spread in three places, Titusville Rifle & Pistol Club, in the family cemetery in Fairhope and on the outgoing tide in Katchemak Bay in Homer, Alaska.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2014 at Indian River City United Methodist Church in Titusville, Fla.
A graveside service will be held on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014, at 4 p.m., at Memory Gardens of Fairhope.
Arrangements by North Brevard Funeral Home, Titusville, Fla.
