Ronald "Ron" Hall

If you knew Ron, you knew he was a good listener with an open heart. Ron valued his community both in his personal life and career. Always curious about the stories of people he met, Ron took the extra time to get to know a person and hear their story.

His story began in Portland Oregon where he was born and raised in the Laurelhurst neighborhood. Ron could often be found in the park with a bag full of tennis balls, a racquet and a basketball under his arm, ready to join any type of game. While at Washington high school, he met Kay who would become his wife of 50 years. After he graduated University of Oregon (CSPA), Ron and Kay moved to San Francisco where they had ten years of adventures. It was a dynamic time to be in SF and they experienced it fully with the help of many friends.

In San Francisco, Ron worked for several non-profit organizations devoted to helping people live their lives to the fullest. He earned a masters in rehabilitation counseling from San Francisco State University, but the title he was proudest of was "Dad." He would do anything for his daughters Megan and Whitney. He raised them to believe in themselves, fight for justice, and find the best bargain.

Not long after Whitney was born, the Hall family returned to Portland. Ron was a stay at home dad for several years while the girls were little. He was a proud room parent and 3rd grade girls basketball coach.

He returned to his career as a vocational counselor working with high school students. He cared about each of his students and helped them find job experiences matched to their interests

One of his jobs while in SF was Center for Independent Living (CIL) in Berkeley. His clients were people who had experienced life altering injuries and he worked with them to create their own new normal. That job proved to have a deep impact on him many years later when he experienced a spinal cord injury. He spent the last 20 years of his life needing a wheelchair, but like his clients, he created his own new normal. He continued working with his students until he retired in 2018

His volunteer experiences reflected his commitment to community and making a space for everyone: a shelter for unhoused families, an adult day care center, various committees focused on community/park bureau challenges, and a professional association for those who worked with special needs students. He proudly served on the board of Volunteers of America for 14 years.

A celebration of life will be held on November 29th at the Laurelhurst Club

His most recent effort was Tabor for All, a project he started with others to improve accessibility to Mt Tabor Park. In lieu of flowers, donations to Friends of Mt Tabor Park, in memory of Ron Hall are appreciated.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-in-rons-memory