Leland William Hall was born July 10, 1928 to Arnold and Evangelyn (Anderson) Hall in Wilton, MN. Leland grew up in Wilton and attended Hall School, named after his Grandfather who built the school. Leland graduated from Bemidji High School in 1946. In 1950 he was drafted into the United States Army and was stationed in Fairbanks Alaska during the Korean Conflict. Lee had a lifelong devotion to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and worshipped at the Chapel in the Pines. Lee met his wife Patricia (McGarry) roller skating at the armory in Bemidji. The two were united in marriage June 17, 1955. This began their 53 year marriage. Four of thThe eighty-eight years that defined the life of Leland William Hall began with his birth at 5:30 PM on July 10, 1928 to parents Evangelyn (Anderson) and Arnold W. Hall in Wilton, MN. He was the first of four children to be born to his parents. Lee grew up in Wilton, MN and had the honor of attending school with his only classmate in the one-room schoolhouse, Hall School, named after his grandfather who had built the school. Following grade school Lee graduated from Bemidji High School in 1946, and began earning his living by buying tracts of land and logging them. In 1950 he was drafted into the United States Army and was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska during the Korean Conflict. Serving in the rank of Corporal, of which one of his duties included being a gunner in active service, Lee's life-long passion for hunting occupied his free time in Alaska's wilderness and included hunting moose allowing him to provide additional meat for his comrades in service. His active duty service lasted two years, which was followed in 1952 by an additional four years of service in the US Army Reserves.
Lee's lifelong devotion to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his worship at the Chapel in the Pines Church of Bemidji, and its' affiliated camp that offered the activities he loved (such as roller skating and softball), resulted in the opportunity for him to meet two women that would be become very important people in his life. It was here he first met and then dated Eleanor Doten, whom would eventually become his second wife on June 12, 2010 following the passing of his first wife, Patricia Alice McGarry, whom also worshipped at the Chapel. Lee met Patricia Roller Skating at the armory in Bemidji and Patricia also attended the Chapel in the Pines Lee and Patricia fell in love and married in the Chapel in the Pines on June 17, 1955 and began their fifty-three years of marriage, which lasted until Patricia passed away April 9, 2008. Lee and Patricia's strong faith in God and their Lord Jesus Christ would continue the rest of their lives. Their dedication to their faith would carry through to their eventual commitment to the First Baptist Church in Clearbrook, where Lee served as Head Usher along with their attentiveness to helping with the landscape of the Church grounds.
Following their marriage Lee and Patricia lived in Bemidji where Lee working for Land O' Lakes as a delivery truck driver. Lee tired of the delivery route and felt fortunate when he was able to land a job with what would eventually become Minnesota Pipeline Company, for whom he would spend his first two years of his career with them that included loading oil tanker rail cars in Clearbrook, MN.
In 1962 the family, which now included the first four of their five children, Curtis, Roberta, Calvin and LeAnne, moved to Rosemount, MN due to Lee's job transfer to the refinery located there. It was while Lee and Pat were living in Rosemount that their youngest daughter, Sharon was born. Even though the family was living in Rosemount, Lee's heart was always in northern Minnesota, and any available opportunity found him taking the family to Lee's father's property near Bemidji to go camping in “Lee's Country”. The long-awaited opportunity for Lee and his family to move back to northern Minnesota came in 1969 when Minnesota Pipeline Company had an open position in Clearbrook, MN at their pumping station. He was so thrilled and excited to be able to move 'home' that he was unable to voice the words to Pat when he came home to tell her the good news. Once the family settled in Clearbrook Lee was able to buy a 40 acre parcel of land near the pipeline pumping station where he worked, and subsequently they built the home in which he would live out the rest of his years. The proximity to his worksite allowed him to walk to work daily, yet the forested acreage offered him the nature and wildlife he so loved and enjoyed. He was employed as an operator then gauger at the Clearbrook Minnesota Pipeline facility until his retirement in 1990. Although he was a precise and conscientious operator/gauger, he liked to tell about some of the challenging incidents that happened at work, including the “bonfire” he had while on duty following an oil spill, as well as having his driveway “paved” with disposed gravel following a crude oil spill at the pumping station site.
Following the loss of his wife, Patricia, he was attending music night at Bemidji's Pony Lake Church and in 2009 Lee ran into his former girlfriend from years ago, Eleanor (Doten) Ricke, whom had also lost her spouse. Lee and Eleanor rekindled their love and were married on June 12, 2010 and remained in marriage until Lee's passing. While some people never get to experience the thrill of love, Lee was fortunate enough to be able to experience it twice in his life. Lee and Eleanor continued living in Lee's Clearbrook home, sharing together in Lee's passions, activities and friendships in the community. Lee was passionate in his love for the outdoors. His love for snowmobiling with Arctic Cat snowmobiles resulted in his ownership of many special “Cats”, including the four-stroke sled he rode as recently as 2015. He and his friends made trips to West Yellowstone, he was an active member in the Clearwater Trailblazers and North Country Snowmobile Clubs, and granted the club's trail passage across his property. Among his other passions were his love of hunting and fishing. He acquired his first gun at the age of 10, and continued hunting throughout his life, including bagging his last deer while at the age of 86. Besides hunting locally Lee loved to hunt in Montana, bringing both his sons with him to share in his passion for nature. Any opportunity that offered an open time would find Lee out fishing, sharing his harvest with “the elderly” so they, too, could enjoy his success. Even this past June, while suffering with his back pain, Lee would be file:ng and Eleanor scaling, then they'd share the catch for others to enjoy. His Christian lifestyle and willingness to give of himself for others included being a regular blood donor to the blood bank, earning him the recognition and award of the “5- gallon” donor status, which he far surpassed. Meals-on-Wheels relied on his reliable volunteer spirit to regularly deliver meals to home-bound area residents. He was an active member of the Clearbrook American Legion and could be counted on to be involved in their activities.
Leland William Hall went home to Jesus 3:40 AM on December 12, 2016 and has been reunited with his friends and family that have gone before him. He was preceded in death by his wife Patricia Alice, his parents Arnold and Evangelyn, his brother Marlin “Gig”, and his niece Karen Syverson. Survived by Brother Owen (Helen) Hall Bemidji, MN, sister Joyce (Dave) Vogel Bemidji, MN wife Eleanor Hall of Clearbrook, MN., children Curtis Lee (Michele) Hall of Brainerd, MN., Roberta “Bobbie” Lynn Atchison of Lewistown, MT., Calvin Wayne Hall of Palmer, AK., LeAnne Marie (Stanley) Walberg of Clearbrook, MN., and Sharon Elizabeth (Bob) Beltran of Brainerd, MN., along with his eleven grandchildren Jesse, Jordan and Jannah Hall, Nolan Atchinson, Abigail (Ben) Miller, Zachary Walberg, and Simon (Kayla) Walberg, and Emily, Joseph, Joshua and Caleb Beltran, and his three great grandchildren, Lily and McCoy Walberg and Sophia Miller. He is also survived by his five step children whom have come to know and love him including Sharon (Doug) Champ, Sheryl (Harlan) Pearson, Gregory (Judy) Ricke, Darrell (Pat) Ricke, Jeffrey (Nadine) Ricke and their families.
Memorial Services for Leland William Hall will be held Saturday, December 17, 2016 at the First Baptist Church, Clearbrook, MN at 2:00 PM. Visitation will be held at the church from 12:00 PM (noon) to 1:00PM, with a musical memory session between 1 and 2 PM. Interment will be at Pony Lake Cemetery at a later date. The Cease Family Funeral Home of Bagley, MN assisted the family with arrangements.
Messages of condolence may be sent to ceasefuneralhome.com
eir children were born while they lived in Bemidji. Leland drove for Land o Lakes delivering dairy products.
In 1961 Leland took a job with what is now Minnesota Pipeline in Clearbrook. In 1963 Lee was transferred to the refinery and the family moved to Rosemount where their 5th child was born. After 7 years Lee was able to transfer back to the North woods which was where his heart was. The family moved to Clearbrook in 1969 where Lee continued his employment with Minnesota Pipeline till he retired in 1990 Lee loved the outdoors including hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling. He belonged to both Clearwater Trailblazers Snowmobile Club and North Country Snowmobile Club. Lee also had a love for music which brought him to Pony Lake nearly every Tuesday. After losing his wife Patricia in 2008, Lee found love again when he rekindled and old flame with Eleanor (Doten) Ricke. The two were united in marriage at Pony Lake June 12, 2010. Lee and Eleanor loved to spend much of their time fishing. They mastered cleaning and filleting pan fish and distributed them to the “elderly” in the community after a successful day fishing.
Lee went home to be with Jesus December 12, 2016 at 3:40 a.m.
He is survived by his wife Eleanor of Clearbrook, Brother Owen (Helen) Hall, sister Joyce (Dave) Vogel children Curtis Lee(Michele) Hall Brainerd, MN Roberta “Bobbie”Lynn Atchison of Lewistown, MT, Calvin Wayne Hall of Palmer, AK, LeAnne Marie(Stanley) Walberg of Clearbrook and Sharon Elizabeth (Bob ) Beltran. of Brainerd, MN along with eleven grandchildren Jesse, Jordan and Jannah Hall, Nolan Atchison, Abigail (Ben) Miller, Zachary Walberg, Simon (Kayla) Walberg. and three great grandchildren Lily and McCoy Walberg and Sophia Miller. He is also survived by his five stepchildren Sharon (Doug) Champ, Cheryl (Harlan) Pearson, Gregory (Judy) Ricke, Darrell (Pat) Ricke, Jeffrey (Nadine) Ricke and their families.
Preceded in death by his wife Patricia Alice, parents Arnold and Evangelyn, his brother Marlin “Gig” and his niece Karen Syverson.
Memorial Service for Leland William Hall will be held Saturday, December 17, 2016 at the First Baptist Church, Clearbrook, MN at 2:00 p.m. Visitation will be held at the church from 12:00p.m. (noon)-1:00 p.m., with music and memories at 1:00- 2:00pm. Interment will be at Pony Lake Cemetery at a later date. The Cease Family Funeral Home of Bagley, MN assisted the family with arrangements.
Messages of condolence may be sent to ceasefuneralhome.com
