Below is an obituary from Nichols Funeral Home:
Frank Hall (1940 – 2026)
WILMINGTON, MA — Born in Somerville, Massachusetts to Chester and Dorothy Hall, Frank was raised in Woburn and Wilmington and attended Wilmington High School. He attended Salem State College (now University) and earned a Bachelor of Science teaching degree with a Master in Education from Northeastern University to follow. After teaching at Wellesley High School for several years, Frank recognized a different calling and earned a Master in Theology from Boston University to become a minister in the Unitarian Universalist denomination, ordained in 1972.
After initially serving as Assistant Minister in Lexington, Massachusetts, Frank was called to the Murray UU Church in Attleboro, Massachusetts, where he served for 12 happy years. In 1984, Frank was called to the Unitarian Church in Westport (now Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport), where he served for an amazing 29 years until his retirement at 73 years. He was honored with the designation there as Minister Emeritus. In addition, Frank spent many wonderful summers serving as a Minister of the Week for the UU Fellowship of Chautauqua.
For more information about his professional life, please see here:
Frank would have served even longer if not for his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, which he courageously endured for 18 years. He was known particularly for his love of poetry (especially Walt Whitman), which frequently served as text for his sermons, and he inspired and mentored numerous congregants to pursue the ministry themselves. He loved travel and adventure, once using a six month sabbatical to travel the country in an old VW Camper, starting each new day with his coffee and Pavarotti arias. He was a dogged advocate for social justice and was one of the first clergy members to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies. And, he spent decades of wonderful summers living in his Thoreau-inspired cabin in Old Orchard Beach, ME.
Frank was the darling husband for 29 years to Lory Nurenberg, loving father to Susan Hall, Jonathan (Rosie Thys) Hall and stepfather to Carlyn (Elliot Schwartz) Kessler, cherished grandfather to Alex (Ingrid) Hildreth and Hannah (Perry) O’Brien-Hill, great-grandfather to Sofia Hildreth, and beloved dog dad to Parker. He is also survived by his dearest siblings, William Hall, John Hall, Dorothy Hall, and Gwen Sheehan as well as numerous nieces, nephews, in-laws, and other extended family members as well as his first wife, Anita Hall. He will be sorely missed by countless friends, colleagues, and former congregants. In addition to his parents, Frank was preceded in death by his brothers Chester Hall, Arthur Hall, and Albert Hall and his nephews Chester Hall, Jr., Cliff Hall, Brendan Sheehan, and niece Kimberly Hall.
Frank was so proud to be a member of the Hall clan. In his honor, a service will be held on Thursday, March 26 at Nichols Funeral Home, 187 Middlesex Avenue, Wilmington, MA, with 2 PM viewing, 3 PM Service, and a reception to follow at Kitty’s Restaurant, 123 Main St., North Reading, MA.
A celebration of Frank’s life will also be held on May 3 at 2 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport, 10 Lyons Plains Rd, Westport, CT.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his memory to either the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee or to the Michael J. Fox Parkinson’s Foundation.
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