Jess Hall Jr.

1936 - 2020

Jess H. Hall, Jr.
1936-2020
Jess Hall, Jr., faithful Christian and loving and devoted husband and father, left this world to be with Christ on Sunday, August 9, 2020, at the age of 83 following a long illness. He was born a fifth generation Texan in Ft. Worth in 1936 to Jess, Sr. and Frances Hall. He is survived by his wife, Millie Brown Hall, the love of his life for 64 years, by his children, Jessalyn Eaton, her husband Luke Eaton, and Eric Hall, by his two grandchildren, Eric Eaton and Adam Eaton, and by his three great-grandchildren.
Jess was a faithful gospel preacher for many years in the churches of Christ, serving congregations in Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Missouri, and preaching in gospel meetings from New York to California and on four continents. He also served as a deacon and an elder in the church. His skill as a song leader was appreciated worldwide, as was his great love for and knowledge of the Bible. He taught countless Bible classes and could often be found in his library studying and annotating the thousands of books in his lifelong collection.
Jess graduated from David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1957 with degrees in speech and English. Afterward, he briefly coached debate and taught High School English in Kentucky. At only 26 years of age, he became the minister of the Riverside congregation in Ft. Worth, Texas, where he served for three years before moving to Lubbock to be the minister at the Greenlawn congregation on the campus of Lubbock Christian University, where he also served on the Board.
In 1971, Jess received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the Texas Tech School of Law in Lubbock, Texas, graduating second in his class. After graduation, Jess and his family moved to Houston, where he became the fourteenth attorney at the law firm of Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, and LaBoon, which is now part of Locke Lord. He became a senior litigation partner at the firm and headed the firm's associate trial training program for many years. Jess handled many high profile cases, often appearing in the newspaper and on local TV. He retired from practicing law in 2003. After retirement, he continued to preach and teach the Bible, he continued to travel all over the world with Millie, and he played many rounds of golf.
In 1990, Jess was elected to the Board of Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama. He was elected to serve as its Chairman in 2003, and ultimately served in that capacity for five terms. In 2008, Jess was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters by Faulkner University for his service to the school and the community.
"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making a donation to the Cherokee Home for Children in his honor at www.chc4kids.org.
A private graveside was held on August 13, 2020. The public memorial service will be announced at a later date.