Margaret Hall's Obituary
Margaret Hall was born in Corsicana, Texas on October 8, 1918 to Leslie Lake and Lela Holland Lake. When she was a few months old, her mother died of influenza during the pandemic caused by a strain of H1N1 flu. Margaret and her older brother, Leslie, spent most of their childhood years in the State Orphanage in Corsicana. Margaret would read Ludwig Bemelmans’ Madeline story books to her daughters and would tell them how she slept in a dormitory with other girls and wore a uniform until she graduated from high school and left the State Home at eighteen. Margaret married James Earl Hall on April 16, 1947. She and James lived in Dallas, Longview, and Mount Pleasant, Texas as they raised their daughters, Kathy and Carol. Margaret was especially close to her sisters-in-law, Ouida Hall Blair and Orpa Hall. They taught her a lot about cooking, and they all helped each other through good times and bad times. When Margaret was in her forties, she was surprised to be contacted by a younger brother, Charles. Her father had remarried and his wife, Lottie, had cared for Leslie and Margaret while the marriage lasted and when Charles was born. Lottie had always told Charles that he had older siblings and he was happy when he was able to locate them. Margaret really enjoyed getting to know Charles, his wife Frieda, and their three daughters. Margaret, James, and their daughters moved back to Dallas in 1963 to “Old Lake Highlands,” where they lived until 2005, when they moved to a retirement community. Margaret worked outside the home intermittently doing clerical work for Taylor Publishing Company and sewing. Margaret was an expert seamstress and was able to duplicate expensive department store outfits for her daughters. She continued making dresses for her granddaughter, Jennifer. And she created some hilarious Halloween costumes for her grandsons Phil and Scott. Margaret and Kathy also made costumes for high school plays when Ben was involved in drama at Bryan Adams High School. Margaret completely loved her grandchildren, Ben, Jennifer, Phil, and Scott. She cared for them when they were infants so that Kathy and Carol could work. She was always buying new toys for them and catering to them by preparing their favorite foods including the “Grandpa Salad”, chocolate pie, and fried okra. Margaret and James enjoyed dancing to big band music and having picnics and family get togethers. Margaret and James enjoyed traveling to New York City, the island of St. Martin, and Hawaii. She is survived by daughters, Kathryn Hall and husband Glenn Samford and Carol Ann Hall and husband, Tom Hutchinson; grandchildren Benjamin Samford, Jennifer Samford, Phil Hutchinson, and Scott Hutchinson. We would especially like to thank everyone at Buckner Retirement Community and Odyssey Hospice for all their care and concern for our mom over the last few years. A special thanks to James, Ron, and Nina of Odyssey Hospice and to Diane, Kathy, Alicia, and Mary at Buckner. We would also like to express our appreciation to Golden Acres. Visitation on Sunday, October 11, 2009 from 6:30 to 8:30 P.M. Services will be held at Restland’s Wildwood Chapel on Monday, October 12, 2009, at 3 P.M.
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