William “Bill” Hall, Jr.

William Beverly Hall, Jr., “Bill”, 76, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on June 7, 2023, at Sanford Hospice Hospital in Fargo, ND.

Bill was born Feb. 11, 1947 in St. Louis, MO, to William B. Hall, Sr. and Margree Hall. “Junior” as he was affectionately known, was raised in a close, loving family, the only boy amongst four sisters. As a youth, he was involved in the drum and bugle corps activity, and was a member of the American Woodmen Cadets. He was also involved in youth programs at West Presbyterian Church, and at one time considered the ministry. Nicknamed “professor,” by his friends, his ultimate career goal and passion was always to teach at the university level.

Bill graduated from O’Fallon Technical School in St. Louis in 1966. He attended the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He worked in admissions at the university for a brief period and then moved back to St. Louis to pursue a job at Southwestern Bell Telephone. But the teaching profession was calling, so he applied for a position in the mass communications department at Minnesota State University in Moorhead, where Roger Hamilton hired him to develop the advertising program. MSUM became his lifetime home and career. He completed 38 years of teaching before retiring in 2014. He received American Advertising Federation’s highest honor, the Silver Medal award, in 2013.

Bill had a passion for teaching and loved his students. In the early years, he was known for always wearing a suit and flashy tie. He was a teacher, mentor and friend to thousands of students. Throughout his life wherever he would travel, he always ran into former students who stopped to tell him how he had influenced them. He also enjoyed his mass comm colleagues and their lively discussions about politics and life over coffee. He counted them amongst his closest friends.

Bill met Jane Heilmann in Moorhead and the two became inseparable lifetime partners. They were married on June 7, 1997. They enjoyed sitting on the deck of their dream home in Moorhead, fishing in the Detroit Lakes area, attending drum and bugle corps competitions, traveling, gardening, and visits from family and friends. Bill helped organize the North Force, a local drum and bugle corps and served as director from 1993 to 1997.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William Sr. and Margree Hall, and his sister Janice Richardson. He is survived by his beloved wife Jane; two sons, William B. Hall, III and Keith Hall; three sisters, Louise Woods, Jackie Childs, and Linda Hall; eight grandchildren: Alexander, Jasmine, Sylvia, William IV, Brianna, Sharday, Malyssa and Cicely; eight great grandchildren: Kaleigh, Kaleb, James, Winter, Prince Malik, William V, Willow and Prince De’lani; daughter-in-law Marjean Hall; brothers-in-law Larry Heilmann, Jim Heilmann, Jim Bailey and Larry Richardson; sisters-in-law Linda Bailey and Sherry Heilmann; and numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. Bill was dearly loved and will be missed by all.

Memorial Services will be held in Moorhead, MN and St. Louis, MO

MOORHEAD

Visitation: Friday, June 16, 1 p.m. with memorial service to follow at 2 p.m. at Wright Funeral Home, 605, 2nd Ave. S., Moorhead, MN

ST. LOUIS

Visitation, Saturday, June 24, 1 p.m. with memorial service to follow at 2 p.m. at Curby Memorial Presbyterian Church, 2621 Utah St., St. Louis, MO