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Stephen J. Hall Sr. • 1915 - 2008
 Stephen
J. Hall Sr., 92, (formerly of Seattle, WA), father of Nan Jacobson,
Minot, ND, and Steve Hall, Jr., Seattle, WA, passed away Thursday,
March 20, 2008, at Trinity Hospital, Minot.
Stephen Joseph Hall Sr., was born in Danbury, Connecticut,
August 12, 1915, to Joseph Hall, a Railroad Switchyard Engineer
and Jenny Cottrell Hall, a homemaker, and daughter of the American
Revolution.
The oldest of seven children, and growing up in the depression,
he worked his way through college while helping to supplement
the family income. Beginning his college education by attending
the Connecticut State College, he eventually transferred to the
Yale University, where he became a top athlete in the sport of
boxing, and went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude in Business Administration.
He tutored students to help pay for his college education, including
Henry Ford II. Encouraged by his mother's pastor who recognized
him as one with potential, he gave him books and encouraged him
to read, which became a lifelong love. He was an avid reader,
a remarkable study of the English language, and had an incredible
command of the English language that did not go unnoticed by
anyone who met him.
His first job working in a Danbury hat factory, shaping hats
in hot lye vats, he learned quickly through his keen sense of
observation, that to become successful, he needed to advance.
He supported workers rights, unions and was a radical Red Shirt
supporting workers rights. Eventually marrying Rosemary Florence
Critelli in 1946, Steve secured a job in New York City with a
labor relations firm. Moving up in that field, he was recruited
for a position with Sperry Gyroscope as Personnel Manager, but
left due to being recruited by the partners of Booze, Allen,
& Hamilton, management consultants. There he became an expert
in administration, and consulted to Ingersoll Rand, Ted Turner's
father, on the management of his radio station empire, and other
major assignments from Miami and Boston to Chicago.
After living in New York City for almost 10 years, he and
his wife moved to San Francisco to work with the Stanford University
on a consulting assignment for C&H Sugar. From there he moved
to Portland, OR to reorganize Iron Fireman, reorganized the Simpson
Logging Company in Seattle, and worked for 18 months to reorganize
the logging company into a forest products company and recommended
that the name be changed to Simpson Timber, where he became Vice
President of Administration, and set up an International company
for them in 1958.
Steve negotiated the purchase of Stetson-Ross Machine Company
in Seattle. The manufacturer of forest products sawmills and
planing mill equipment, Stephen was installed as its President,
helping to build the company into a profitable $10 million dollar
enterprise in seven years in the mid-1960's. Always the friend
of the workers and the unions, he was always appreciated by the
workforce as a champion of better union and non-union wages,
and protecting commissions. Leaving the company in the late-1960s,
he was moving on to his next big career as an independent management
consultant.
After many management consulting assignments throughout the early
1970's, Steve Hall learned of a consulting contract with the
Small Business Administration's Region X (Washington, Oregon,
Idaho and Alaska). He won the contract and over many years, consulted
to SBA loan applicants and loan holders. Some loan holders were
some of the region's most successful enterprises and most were
small businesses. The majority of assignments were with minority
businesses across the region from the inner city to Native American
enterprises, some in the midst of their first opportunity to
start a business. Steve not only helped them but became friends
and advocates of their efforts. The contract with over 200 small
business clients led to the next stage of his life as Region
X Regional Director, U.S. Small Business Administration during
the 1980s.
Stephen became involved in civic life in Seattle, a member of
the Washington Athletic Club, Broadmoor Golf Club, the Rainier
Club, the Seattle Tennis Club, Rotary Club, National Association
of Manufacturers, National Defense Committee, Association of
Washington Industries, President, Town Hall Foundation, Regional
Vice President for the Society for Advancement & Management,
Director & Vice President of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce,
Director, Seattle Area Industrial Council, King County Chair
of the March of Dimes, member of the Seattle Symphony Board,
and Head of Seattle University major fundraising efforts. In
fact, he became known as a top fundraiser all over Seattle. He
worked with Bill Boeing, Jr. and Eddie Carlson to put together
the basic funding and support for the Seattle World's Fair, helping
to make the Seattle World's Fair a reality.
As a major fundraiser and confidant of many of the movers and
shakers in the City, being popular and well-known, Steve Hall
was the King County Republican Finance Chairman and during the
Reagan Presidential Campaign, the Reagan Washington State Finance
Chair.
After Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States,
Steve was appointed by President Reagan as Region X Director,
US Small Business Administration. He served the SBA from 1981
through 1989, winning accolades from the government and many
groups. He won awards from the SBA, area Latinos, African Americans
and other minority groups for his efforts to advance business
successes and political causes, and was also responsible for
the major reorganization of the SBA administrative offices in
Washington, D.C., where he and his wife lived for one year while
doing so.
A lover of the outdoors, an avid gardener and bird hunter, retired
at the age of 75, he and his wife spent winters skiing and summers
hiking until 2004, in Sun Valley, Idaho, staying in their second
home there. After selling their Seattle home, Steve and Florence
moved to Horizon House in Seattle. In June, 2007, they moved
to Trinity Homes in Minot, ND, to be near their daughter, Nancy
(Nan) F. Jacobson.
Survived by his wife of 61 years, Florence, Minot, son,
Steve (Leslie Ritter) Hall, Jr, Seattle, WA, daughter, Nan (Bruce)
Jacobson, Minot, grandchildren, Lianna Hall, Seattle, Matthew
T. Jameson, Grand Forks, ND, and Megan F. Parr, Chicago, IL,
brother, Earl, Atlantic City, NJ, sisters, Alice (Frank) Hunt,
Whittier, CA, and Arlene Sinsar, Venice, FL.
Preceded in death by his father, Joseph, mother, Jenny, brothers,
Gordon, Sr., Irving, and sister, Grace.
Viewing will take place Friday, March 28th, from 2 to 7 pm at
Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.
Funeral service will be held Saturday, March 29th, 2008,
at 11:00 am at the All Saints Episcopal Church in Minot with
a luncheon and fellowship to follow.
Flowers are welcome. Memorials are preferred to the American
Lung Association and the American Diabetes Association.
Memorial service will be held in Seattle, WA, at a future date
to be determined.
Officiant : The Rev. George Slanger, assisted by John
Williams
Music
Nan Jacobson, Vocalist to offer "Give Me Jesus" &
"The Lord's Prayer"
Sally Whitson, Organist
Congregational Hymns: "How Great Thou Art" & "Amazing
Grace"
Honorary Bearers: Stephen's family and friends
Active Bearers: Bruce Jacobson, Sgt. Matthew Jameson,
TSgt. Kenneth Kline, Ken Forsberg
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