Raymond Londell "Ray" Hall

1938 - 2025

Raymond "Ray" Londell Hall

West Lebanon, NH - Professor Raymond ("Ray") Londell Hall, 87, died November 12, 2025, peacefully with his family by his side, at the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care. Born in 1938 in Marshall, a small, rural town in east Texas, he was very close to his mother "mama", his aunt -Anna Mae, who raised him from infancy, after his parents, Arabell and John Hall, passed away from tuberculosis. He was devoted to her, grateful for her many sacrifices and hard work to raise him, in extreme poverty. When he acquired steady income, he would complete and sign an entire checkbook at a time, to "pay her back." When she passed away, he kept her memory alive and honored her by securing and taking over the land that she worked tirelessly to pay taxes on, to keep in the family at a time that made this nearly impossible. His early years grounded in him, a strong work ethic, intellectual prowess, and an adaptive, survival mentality; he would often say, "I always looked at difficulties as temporary, and always looked forward."

Growing up in the time of segregation, Ray attended the local elementary and middle schools for Black children, and excelled as a student, later recognized with a high IQ and many academic achievements. His mother worked long days as a domestic, cleaning houses, and his cousins were young adults when he was born, and moved away from home, so he was often left alone. From the age of eight, Ray spent his young years on his own, working physically taxing jobs, usually outdoors, to help his mother. At the age of thirteen, he went to work for Joe W. Hirsch Jr., heir of a powerful white merchant family, as a yard boy, and then "graduated" to working inside, where he expressed a keen interest in books. Ray noted that, "Joe recognized me as a human being, lending me books, discussing them with me, encouraging me to stay in school." Ray worked for him through college and Joe became a significant guide and role model in his life. Ray also became close to Joe's wife Phyllis and connected to their children and grandchildren.

When Ray was not working or in school, he was reading books with an insatiable appetite. His books became his entertainment, his escape, and the characters his friends. His vocabulary became expansive! Admittedly, this alone time was conducive to his innate introverted nature and probably enhanced it! He noted of himself, that he was fiercely independent to a fault! Ray went on to become a scholar-athlete, taking honors courses and playing football, basketball, and baseball (recruited by the minor leagues), at Pemberton High School, graduating in 1957. He attended Wiley College, where he earned his B.A. in sociology, continuing to work long hours while attending full-time, graduating in 1962.

Thereafter, Ray was drafted into the military, serving from 1962-64, stationed in Illesheim, Germany. From the military he went to work as a principal at a technology school founded in Nigeria, by one of his faculty mentors from Wiley College, where he taught English alongside fellow Peace Corp workers, from 1965-1966. When Ray left Nigeria, he enrolled at Stephen F. Austin State University, earning his M.A. in 1968, and thereafter attended Syracuse University, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1972, and later received an honorary M.A. from Dartmouth College in 1993. He was hired as a faculty member at Bishop College, in Dallas, Texas, from 1968-1971. He then moved to Hanover, NH, to join the sociology faculty, and was the Orvil E. Dryfoos Professor of Public Affairs, focused on multinational states, and tenured department Chair, at Dartmouth College, where he worked for nearly 35 years, from 1972-2006, when he retired. He served many organizations, including A Better Chance, in Hanover, N.H. from 1973-1975. He was the Director of the Dartmouth-Boston Urban Studies Program, 1978-1980. He sat on the Board of Directors, The Forum for United States-Soviet Dialogue from 1983-1986 and was special consultant for National Institutes of Health at Harvard School of Public Health, in 1993. He sat on the Board of Trustees Wiley College, from 1989-1999, as the Chair of Academy Programs Committee. Throughout these years at Dartmouth, Ray committed to his scholarship, creating opportunity for young people and social-political impact on the world.

Ray met Terry while in graduate school at Syracuse University. They married in 1972 and then moved to Hanover, N.H. where they raised their three daughters. They divorced in 1992 but maintained a distanced yet caring friendship with gratitude and love for their children.

Linda Barton, his partner, met Ray at Dartmouth where they both worked. For more than thirty years together, they have enjoyed love, a dear friendship, and a blended-family life. Ray enjoyed getting to know Linda's children and grandchildren, and they spent many holidays together. Linda and Ray enjoyed travel, tennis, and theater, and they cared dotingly for their late Shih Tzu dog, Rudy.

Ray was a warm-hearted, intelligent, kind, and personable introvert, yet gracious and charismatic. Socializing was always positive for his spirit, but not his natural inclination, although he made many dear friends in his lifetime, who brought him lots of joy. Ray loved competition of any kind, as well as music (he could play the piano by ear). He enjoyed thoughtful and cerebral social-political conversations and debate, walking outside, chess, and watching sports, tennis and basketball above all else. He enjoyed time on the tennis court, as an avid competitor, and family time outdoors, playing games and sports.

Ray was dedicated to his daughters and their families and had a soft spot for his grandchildren. He was a gentle spirit; he loved animals and children and they loved him back. His lessons about life came in wise poetic verses that he would share with his children, giving them deep wisdom. He visited his children when they were in college just to watch them play in a game, or to take them to dinner. As far back as they can remember until he passed, they would go on walks with him, often holding hands, talking about family, work, life, or not talking at all, just sharing that tender space. Ray was caretaker for his first grandchild, starting when she was six months old, so that her mother could travel, while "climbing the ladder" in her blossoming young career. Ray became great friends with his adult daughters, and would speak to them on the phone often, to give encouragement, share a laugh, debate world politics, and tell them he was proud of them; these calls never ending without the exchange of, "I love you."

Ray is survived by his partner Linda of West Lebanon, NH, and his daughters, Anna, Bonnie, and Morgan, and their families.

A private burial will take place in Hanover, N.H., at Pine Knoll Cemetery. A public celebration of life reception will take place in the Upper Valley, for the Spring of 2026; whereby an announcement and more details will be published.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider donating to Ray's scholarship fund at Dartmouth College, or to The Jack Byrne Center at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.

Donations can be made to the Raymond L. Hall Scholarship Fund in memory of Raymond Hall. Please send gifts to: Dartmouth College, Gift Recording Office, 6066 Development Office, Hanover, NH 03755. Note on check gift for the Raymond L. Hall Scholarship Fund in memory of Raymond Hall. For credit card gifts, please make a gift online at: dartgo.org/hallscholarshipfund or call 603-646-0098.

Ray received the very best care at the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care at the end of his life; it is a special place, you may make a gift here: https://dhmcalumdev.hitchcock.org/giving/jack-byrne-center.

Assisting with arrangements is the Cremation Society of New Hampshire. To view Raymond's online tribute, send condolences to his family, or for more information, visit https://csnh.com