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David Crawford Hall, a longtime resident of the Back Mountain, died early Sunday morning, Sept. 9, 2012 at his home in Dallas after a brief illness. He was 88.
Mr. Hall was born March 1, 1924 in Marietta, Ohio, to Allen and Ida Davis Hall.
He grew up in Marietta and attended Marietta High School. He was a graduate of Princeton University, where he received a bachelor's degree, and Harvard University, where he received a master's degree in engineering.
During World War II he served his country in the Aleutian Islands, working on airstrips that were developed for the war effort.
He originally moved to the area in the late '40s when he married Marian Newton Powell, a native of the Back Mountain and the daughter of William and Janet Powell, then lived in California for many years where he owned a metal perforating company. For a brief period they lived in Panama, where he did civil engineering work related to canal transportation, and then on their return to the area, he went to work for her family's company, Diamond Manufacturing Co. They had three children, David, Patricia and William. When they divorced in the late 1950s, he moved back to California.
For many years he ran Diamond Perforated Metals Inc. in Gardena, Calif. He successfully steered the business from its base in perforated metal into expanded metal and provided many of the metal dividers in the state's freeway system.
In the late 1970s, the business was sold to Toyomenka, a Japanese trading company. He then moved to New York, where he lived for about a year, examining potential acquisitions in North and South America for Toyomenka.
In the early 1980s he and his second wife, Kathryn Shindel Valentine, moved back to the Wyoming Valley to be closer to her children, Jonathan and Frederick, who still live here.
He and Fred Valentine went into the printing business together, buying Llewellyn and McKane, which Mr. Valentine now owns and runs.
A successful businessman, he always gave generously to his community and to his family, with a particular dedication to education. He served on the board of trustees of Wilkes College and the board of the Northeastern Philharmonic.
Mr. Hall was a founding member of the Huntsville Golf Club, where he was a regular fixture until the last year or so, when he found it more difficult to get around.
He was a modest man with a dry sense of humor and was well known in the Wilkes-Barre area as an avid and accomplished bridge player. His local bridge playing friends were a crucial community, and he often wondered aloud how anyone could live without bridge. He won many tournaments and even in the last week of his life played bridge online. He was an old Life Master, having surpassed 2500 MPs. He played at the Jewish Community Center for many years, as well as in other venues and online for many hours a week with his son David.
He liked to tell his friends and family that his mother neglected to suggest a career but insisted on three things: that he learn golf, tennis and bridge. He obeyed her directives on all three, although in later years he had to give up tennis and golf.
He was predeceased by his wife, Kathryn, in 2002; and by his sisters, Dr. Alida Harrington and Dr. Virginia Goodrich.
He leaves a large and devoted family, his son, David, known as Deke, his wife, Susan, Leesport; and their children, David and Jessie; daughter, Patricia Hall, known as Trish, and her husband, Lawrence Wolhandler and their daughter, Hally, all of New York; son, William Hall, known as Bill, and his wife, Denise Strojny-Hall, of Bethesda, Md.; and their children, Emily and Justin; his stepsons, Jonathan Valentine and his wife, Mary, Dallas; and his children, Susan and Jonathan; Fred Valentine, Dallas; and his son, Alex.
Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Harold C. Snowdon Funeral Home Inc., 140 N. Main St., Shavertown. A private interment will be made in Huntsville Cemetery.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
words can not express how much i will miss dave
ray depew
September 25, 2012
Growing up I went to dinner with Mr. Hall and the Valentine family. Mr. Hall always had something interesting and enlightening to say. Mr. Hall was a wonderful man and will be missed.
Michael Brice
September 15, 2012
dave was a class act. i will miss his dry humor and great wit.
judy haber
September 14, 2012
A very special person, and a most informed partner, Dave will forever be remembered and revered. It was my pleasure to have known him.
Mike Whitaker
September 14, 2012
A very special person, We will miss you.
September 14, 2012
"Young Dave"It was a pleasure to play bridge with you and against you! You always made one more!You will be missed. RIP friend.
jeanne fainberg
September 13, 2012
What a loss for us all. I will miss him.
Judy Argento
September 13, 2012
When his death was announced at the Sunday bridge game, the word most often heard was gentleman and that was very true
Bill Haynes
September 12, 2012
I had the pleasure of working with Dave at Llewellyn & McKane. He was an inspiration and a true gentleman.
May warm memories comfort you today and always. With deepest heartfelt sympathy.
Brenda Adams
September 11, 2012
TO the Hall & Valentine families. Dave was a dear friend and neighbor of ours. We have many fond memories of being with him. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you now.
Millie & Dick Hogoboom
Millie & Dcik Hogoboom
September 11, 2012
Very sorry for your loss, Fred, Alex and Deke.
A little memory that I have of your Dad … He had recently moved back to NEPA from CA when I was involved w/fundraising for the Sordoni Art Gallery. He cut out a newspaper membership solicitation & mailed a generous donation to Wilkes. A big surprise gift.
September 11, 2012
Dave was a true gentleman and a terrific bridge partner. Table one won't be the same without him! Dave taught me so much- not only about bridge. He will be missed by many-especially me.
Judy Null
September 10, 2012
MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE HALL & VALENTINE FAMILIES, DAVE WAS VERY SPECIAL TO ME & HE ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL LIKE PART OF THE FAMILY.
DEBORAH SCHRAMA
September 10, 2012
The bridge games won't be the same without Dave. He was often my bridge partner and always my friend. I will miss him deeply. My sincere sympathy to the entire Hall family.
Beth Rosenthal
September 10, 2012
We cherish the memories we have of Dave while he was at Llewellyn & McKane. It was indeed a pleasure to know Dave and we extend our deepest sympathy his family.
Dave & Dee Simpson
September 10, 2012
I AM SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS
GUY A. LLEWELLYN, JR
September 10, 2012
Mr. Hall, You are the reason I have my children with me and you have done so much for me and my family. You have always kept in touch with us and made sure we were all ok. I can't thank you enough for everything you have done for me. You have been like a father to me and I will never forget you. Jackie Garth C.J. and Joey
Jackie Andrade
September 10, 2012
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Malcolm Brunges
September 10, 2012
My deepest sympathies to you all, I so enjoyed Mr Hall as one of my former cleints, he was a birght kind and gently man, with a heart of gold. Elaine Liss
September 10, 2012
My most heartfelt condolences to Deke and the entire Hall family. It is with great sadness that I received the news of the loss of a fine bridge partner, teammate and worthy opponent not to mention one of the truly wonder gentlemen I have had the pleasure to know in my life. He will be mourned and missed by many. My apologies for it is necessary for me to be out of town Wednesday, September 12th and unable to express my condolences personally. With utmost respect, sincerely, AL Shrive
Albert Shrive
September 10, 2012
deke it was a joy 2 play bridge both with and against your father. there was no age difference between us on bridge table.. i will miss his dry humor a lot
alan fierverke
September 10, 2012
We will miss and always remember Dave.
George Marcy
September 10, 2012
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