George Hall

JONESBORO - Dr. George Scott Hall departed this life on Aug. 16 at the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro. He was born on July 21, 1943, in Batesville, to Ray H. Hall, Sr. and Kathleen Scott Hall.

He grew up in Jonesboro, attended Jonesboro Public Schools, and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 1963 from Arkansas State.

Dr. Hall then earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in 1967, at only twenty-three years old. Dr. Hall was a veteran and served stateside during the Vietnam War, finishing his service as a captain. He went on to complete his surgical residency at the University of Cincinnati (UC) in the 1970's, becoming certified by the American Board of Surgery in l977, and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery in 1979. He was an Assistant Professor of Surgery at UC until he began practicing in Fort Thomas, Ky., where he built a very successful medical practice serving St. Elizabeth Healthcare. Dr. Hall was known not only for his good judgment and skilled hands, but also more importantly for his kindness and steady temperament. Somehow, he was spared the affliction of ego, and in the operating room he was revered rather than feared. He welcomed many uncompensated leadership and service roles, such as chair of surgery, medical staff leader, and hospital board member. He consistently extended a helping hand to his junior partners, making sure they had the same opportunities he had enjoyed, especially the women, during an era when female surgeons were quite a rarity. He remained a thoughtful mentor throughout his career and retired from surgical practice in early 2002, spending the next thirteen years working in community hospital administration for St. Elizabeth Healthcare until his retirement in 2014, as the Vice President of Medical Affairs.

Dr. Hall was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and uncle. In his youth George was a very good high school football player. He loved art and was a talented painter. He was also fond of good books, music, football, baseball (especially the Cincinnati Reds), traveling, the symphony, his family, various dogs of all shapes and sizes, good food, buttery pastry, chardonnay, scotch, strong coffee, and a walk down memory lane with old friends. Paris, France, and Amelia Island, Florida, were places he particularly enjoyed. He was known for his keen sense of humor.

Dr. Hall was preceded in death by his first wife of fifty-five years and the mother of his three sons, Margaret Rose Smith Hall, his parents Ray Hall, Sr. and Kathleen Scott Hall, and his grandparents George Luke Hall and Ada Andrews Hall and Talmage Scott and Lula Carroll Scott. He is survived by his wife Pamala Kail Hall of Jonesboro; three sons, George Scott Hall, Jr., Matthew M. Hall, and Justin T. Hall all of Cincinnati, Ohio; two grandchildren, Elena Hall and George Scott Hall, III of Cincinnati, Ohio; two brothers, Dr. Ray H. Hall, Jr. and his wife Barbara, and Dr. John David Hall and his wife Cathy P. Hall all of Jonesboro. In addition, he is survived by four nieces and one nephew, Dr. Heather Hall Coleman, Dr. Holly Hall, Colin Hall, Dr. Elizabeth Hall Stark, and Dr. Sarah A. Hall. He also leaves two special cousins, Millie Collins of Jonesboro and Debbie Moore of Viola, and several dear friends and colleagues who include Jay Lange III, Dr. Heidi Murley, Dr. Patricia Abello, and Dr. Jeffrey Russell.

Raised in the First United Methodist Church in Jonesboro, for which he held a great affection, he was a member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.

Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, at Blessed Sacrament Church with a funeral mass starting at 10 a.m., with Father Cody Eveld officiating. Interment will follow at Jonesboro Memorial Park with Deacon Marty Huss presiding. Gregg, Langford, Bookout Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

For those wishing to leave lasting memorials, please consider The NEA Baptist Charitable Foundation, P.O. Box 1960, Jonesboro, Ark., 72403, St. Elizabeth Foundation at www.stelizabeth.com, or Catholic Charities of Arkansas at www.dolr.org.

The family gives special thanks to Dr. Carroll Scroggin, Dr. Ben Mills, Dr. Kevin Collins, Dr. Brannon Treece, NEA Baptist Clinic, NEA Baptist Fowler Family Center for Cancer Care, NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital nursing staff, Ridgecrest Health and Rehabilitation and staff, and the Flo & Phil Jones Hospice House and staff.