John Hall

John Hall It is with heavy hearts that the Hall family announces the passing of one of their own. John Hall Sr. passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by family and his beloved cat, Sam.

John Hall Sr. led an incredible life that is beyond imaginable to sum up. No matter where he went, he had a way of captivating a crowd and making every single person feel as though they mattered. The stories, people and reach are endless. With John, a person could name a city and he would refer, "When I was there...." and take an entire crowd back with his never-ending stories of adventure.

Long before his legacy in Alaska tourism started, John started his career in his grandfather's grocery store in Foley, Minnesota. He made his first trip to Alaska in 1955 and had no idea this experience alongside his father would have such an impact on his future entrepreneurial outlook on life. After his father's unexpected passing at 13 years old, he shared his life alongside an older sister surrounded by women pioneers of the hospitality industry, including his own mother and two aunts. Being submersed in this legendary culture helped shape his spectacular future. After graduating from high school in Foley, he continued his studies at Northwestern University. He went on to build a career in the hospitality industry, working for organizations like Sheraton Hotels in Chicago; The Thunderbird Hotel in Bloomington, MN; Camelback Resort in Phoenix, AZ; and eventually landing in Los Angeles, CA, overseeing hotels in Anchorage-Honolulu-Seattle-LA market. Working alongside so many pioneers of the industry, one of his greatest accomplishments was including the first female bell hops and hotel partnerships with major organizations while in Seattle.

In 1974, John returned to Rochester, MN, as a General Partner at the Ramada Inn. It was here he met his wife and love of his life, Gayla (Broadwater) Hall. In 1976, the newlyweds returned to the family roots of Wabasha, MN, to purchase the Anderson House Hotel alongside Jeanne Hall, John's mother, becoming third and fourth generation owners. The trio restored the Anderson House Hotel to its original state, creating a world-renowned bed and breakfast full of loyal hospitality, customer service and relationships that would last decades. And don't forget the cats!

In 1982, John purchased his first motorcoach, and in 1983, alongside his eldest son John III, drove the Alaska Highway from Minnesota to Alaska, ultimately kickstarting the passion to travel the world. In 2001, John shifted his focus to his true passion, Alaska, leaving charter operations, the Anderson House Hotel, and the beloved cats in his rearview mirror. Alaska had always been a love but after selling the Anderson House Hotel, the focus remained on doing what he loved. In the words of his father, "Find one thing and do it better than anyone else." For John, that was Alaska. Decades and thousands of visitors later, John built a family-owned-and-operated business based on customer service, true experiences, luxury travel and ensuring the customer was put first and foremost before anything else. His love, care and passion for Alaska allowed a culture of ensuring everyone who visited received the same royal treatment while ensuring everyone fell in love with the beautiful state.

For so many, John Sr. was more than the founder and entrepreneur of an incredible line of businesses. First a father, then a mentor to many who worked for him over the course of 60+ years around the world, a captivating storyteller, a standard-setter, and the heart behind what John Hall's Alaska and the family remains rooted in today. His love for Alaska, motorcoaches, his passion for Corvettes and an unwavering commitment to doing things the right way shaped every relationship for anyone lucky enough to share time with him. He left behind memories with everyone, including his firm handshake, focus on relationships, extremely hard work ethic and a fight to achieve success most will never understand. We will miss everything about his personality, love of people, excitement for Alaska, smile and sharing the world with travelers and most importantly, his ability to talk to anyone and everyone. He never entered a room where he didn't make a friend.

John is survived by his three beloved children: John Hall III and his wife, Lauren, of Lakeway, TX; Joe Hall and his wife, Sara, of Lake City, MN; and Elizabeth Hall of Anchorage, Alaska. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Emerson and Sadie Hall (children of John III) and Noah DeVan (son of Joe), who were his greatest pride and joy. He is also survived by his former wife, Gayla (Broadwater) Hall, with whom he shared many years and three beautiful children. He is further survived by his nephew, Hal Hall, and the Larie Hall family of Rancho Mirage, CA, along with extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John Hall of Foley, MN, and Jeanne (McCaffrey) Hall of Wabasha, MN; his sister, Shannon Hall Criscuolo and her husband, Dr. Cris Criscuolo, of Palm Springs, CA; and his aunts, Margie (McCaffrey) Kappa and Ann McCaffrey.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Wabasha, MN, on May 23, 2026. John will be laid to rest with his father at St. John's Catholic Cemetery in Foley, Minnesota In lieu of flowers or other monetary items, the family is asking for donations to be made in honor of John S. Hall Sr to the following organizations:

Paws and Claws Humane Society

https://www.pawsandclaws.org/wpweb/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Memorial-and-In-Honor-of-Donation.pdf

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/give.html