Happy Birthday Paladin!

Our Handsome Birthday Boy

Today is my big buddy boy’s 11th birthday.  Of course the number of years is a vet’s best guess, and the date is one that I arbitrarily picked as being appropriate for a big Irish lad.  But we are celebrating his 11th birthday today nonetheless.

All dogs are of course special, but Pal is especially so.  Now before I get ahead of myself, let us go back to the beginning – a place that many good stories start from.

Back then, my father and I were volunteering as foster parents for an Irish Setter rescue organization.  Our family’s association with Irish Setters goes back many years, as described in some detail in my post “The Saga of Cement Sue”.  Dad & I had fostered 9 dogs in the space of 2 years.  Then I got the call to pick up number 10.  The story I was told was that this big red boy had walked up to the Humane Society in Kankakee, IL.  The staff at the shelter had watched him walk down the road with a Collie at his side.  The two walked straight up to the front door of the shelter, and sat down politely to wait.  The staff found ID tags on the Collie and contacted the owner saying “we have your dogs here.”  The owner responded that he only had one dog, a Collie and didn’t know anything about an Irish Setter.  Based on his condition, the vet at the shelter estimated that this big boy had been on his own for about six months.  The shelter got in touch with our rescue group.  Arrangements were made for a volunteer to pick him up from the shelter and transport him north to New Buffalo, MI where I would pick him up and take him to our home for fostering.

When the volunteers arrived at our rendezvous point they came in one of those really big crew cab pick-up trucks.  This big 90 pound dog in the back of the cab looked quite frightened at the prospects of leaping to the ground from such a height.  I reached in and picked up the big lug in my arms and set him gently on the ground.  His big brown eyes communicated to me as clearly as could be “Thank you, that was a scary prospect.”

Look at those ears!

At this point I got my first good luck at this handsome lad.  He had such a noble countenance, with big brown eyes that you could swim in, and such long graceful ears.  He was simply the most handsome Irish Setter that I had ever seen.

As was my usual practice when transporting a foster dog home, we drove immediately to the closest fast food outlet, in this case a McDonald’s franchise, for a treat before starting the drive home.  When we arrived at the Magic Window, I got my first view of this master flirt in action.  He immediately went head and shoulders out the window, with no shame about standing on me to accomplish his goal.  The girl working the window was immediately taken with him and started petting him and whispering sweet nothings to him.  As we drove away, breaking the poor girl’s heart, I handed him a cheeseburger.  Again those communicative eyes spoke plainly and said “Thank you, this is the most wonderful, magical thing ever!”

On the drive back to Spring Lake I decided to name him after the hero of my late grandfather’s favorite TV show “Have Gun Will Travel”.  And so this boy became Paladin.

When we got home, Pal & Sue greeted each other, and Sue in her magical way let him know that this was her house and that she was the alpha dog.  Pal seemed OK with that, and performed a quick scout of the house.  He returned to stand in front of the living room sofa and look up and down the length of the couch.  Then he looked over at Dad.  Back to up and down the couch, and then back to Dad.  My father said “You can get up there if you want.” and Pal was instantly up on the couch and settled in like he belonged.

I was head over heels in love with this boy, but trying to be a good foster parent, I worked towards the goal of getting him adopted out to the right family.  Then one day Dad said, “We should keep this boy, he is on the same schedule as me – breakfast, then a nap, lunch, then a nap, supper, then a nap, bedtime snack, and then off to bed.”  And that was all it took, Pal was home.

Over the next few weeks, we learned how smart Pal was – he can open door knobs, that he was a total garbage hound – able to retrieve food scraps from any receptacle, and that he was a superb lady’s man – he would push his head into their legs, then roll his head up so that he was looking in their eyes and they would totally melt.  We also became aware of what a gentle giant he was, able to maneuver around Dad, without toppling him or his walker over.

While Pal was King of the Couch at home, we soon learned that at the Dog Park he was the Park Policeman.  Pal will not tolerate aggressive behavior in his vicinity.  If two dogs are behaving aggressively in the slightest degree, Pal will insert himself between them.  If that doesn’t settle the situation, Pal will rest his head on the aggressor’s back.  And if that doesn’t settle it, then Pal will push the aggressor over on to his back.  He may be the gentlest giant ever, but when his dander is up, you don’t mess with Big Pal.

Pal was a happy boy, and very content in his home.  But changes were in the wind.  In my initial conversation with Linda about moving to Durham, the first question I asked her was “Do you have a couch for Pal?”  Of course she had multiple couches for Pal, and she understood why that would be such a high priority to me.

Pal loves kissing his Mamma!

It shouldn’t have surprised me how much Pal loves his new home.  He has his new Mamma, Linda.  His greatest pleasure is walking up on her as she sits at her computer and kissing her face for as long as she will tolerate it.  And it isn’t just at her desk – he’ll happily kiss on her no matter where she is, even in the water at the beach.

I’m sorry big buddy, but I don’t know how to convey in words how special you are.  I am just so glad that you chose to be a big part of my family – and I hope that you know how much both Linda & I love you.  Happy Birthday Pal!

The Saga of Cement Sue

This is the special wonderful gift that my Linda gave me

I’ve often waxed poetic (or at least posted prose) about my love, Linda Herman.  I’ve worn out my list of adjectives trying to describe how wonderful she is, and how good she is for me.  This Christmas, she demonstrated her love with the best material gift I have ever received.

What could this gift be?  It is a two-foot high concrete statue of an Irish Setter.  Yes, you all know that I love Irish Setters, but that wouldn’t make this the best gift ever.  So what would?  I hope you have a few minutes as this is a convoluted answer.

The story starts with my great-grandfather Hall.  I don’t know much about the man, I don’t even know his name.  The generation before me simply referred to him as “Grandpa Hall.”  By the time I was aware enough to ask his name, my father no longer remembered it.

My great-grandfather’s property in Spring Lake

Here is what I do know about the man.  He owned a farm in Spring Lake, MI bordered on the south by modern-day M-104, on the west by Fruitport Road, on the north by the railroad tracks, and on the east by the swamp.  On this farm he raised pigs, which he smoked and sold as bacon & ham in the surrounding communities.

The other, more interesting thing, that he did on his property was breed and train what he called “Irish Bird Dogs.”  We would know them today as Irish Setters & Irish Red & White Setters.  Even then they were trying to breed the white out so that they could develop into the red dogs that we know today.

Great-grandfather Hall always kept three dogs for breeding – a male named Patrick and two bitches named Molly & Sue.  When one passed on, or retired from breeding, he would replace it with another dog with the same name.  So he always had Patrick, Sue, & Molly.  This allowed him to sell to returning satisfied clients another dog with the same parents as their previous dog.  And disgruntled customers could be offered a dog from the other mother.

My brother John & I with our dog Jojo.

My grandfather with a Sue or a Molly

This practice of Patrick, Sue, & Molly was carried on by my grandfather, Melvin Bristol Hall.  He didn’t do the dogs as a full time profession like his father did, but he kept the Patrick, Sue, & Molly tradition alive.

Now my father, Melvin Edward Hall, didn’t breed dogs.  We always had at least one dog in the house, most of them Irish Setters.  But in my little atomic family, my mother claimed naming rights for all pets.  So we had Duke, Jojo, Koof, Kerry, & Scarlet.

Then in 1992, Dad retired from teaching.  It turns out that there was an Irish Setter breeder near Coldwater, MI who had a bitch that was descended from one of my great-grandfather’s lines.  And he presented the dog to my father as a retirement gift.

This was one of the rare occasions where my father stood up to my mother.  He explained to her that the dog was a gift to him, the dog was part of his family history, and he would be naming her Molly!  My mother didn’t speak to him for weeks afterword.

My Grandmother Irene Vos Hall with a Sue or a Molly

My uncle Ken Hall (Mel’s younger brother) had a much more entertaining response.  Uncle Ken located a concrete, life-sized, concrete statue of an Irish Setter.  Since Mel had a Molly, Ken brought him a Sue – Cement Sue (you have to say it like Jed Clampett – See-Ment Sue).  And from that point on, we had Cement Sue stationed in our back yard.

The years were not kind to Cement Sue, as she stood sentry day and night in all kinds of weather.  She may have lost pieces of concrete, leaving just bits of rebar hanging out.  But she was always there, and Dad & I made a habit of saying hello to Cement Sue every time we came or went through the back door.  As time went by Dad did indeed add a Sue to go along with his Molly.  After many good years with Mel, Molly final had to go to the Rainbow Bridge.  Fortunately, he still had his Sue, who stayed by his side until his death – and Cement Sue was still on station in the backyard.

My Uncle Ken and his family

Dad with a Molly from his grandfather’s line

When the bittersweet time came for me to leave 712 Winter St., Spring Lake, MI to join my lovely Linda in Durham, NC I discovered a sad, sorry truth.  Cement Sue was so damaged, and so sunken into the very ground of the backyard that it would be impossible to move her.  So with a very heavy heart, I left her behind at 712 Winter St.

In my heart, Cement Sue not only meant Molly & Dad but also 712 Winter St., Spring Lake, Uncle Ken & a grandfather & great-grandfather that I never met.  Of course, being so sensitive, loving, caring, and attuned to me – Linda knew all of that.  So she gave me not only a brand new Cement Sue – but also all of those important things left behind when I left Michigan.  I have never received a finer gift with more love behind it.  Thank you Linda – I love you.

The Original Cement Sue (back) with Paladin

Happy Father’s Day

Friday was one of the toughest days ever.  On our way to Doggie Fun Land (the dog park in Ferrysburg) Sue got VERY excited in the car.  Now Pal is a great car rider, he just lays down and takes a nap knowing that there will be excitement when we get where we are going.  Sue on the other hand is always excited, and knows that we’d get there faster if I would just let her drive.  But on this occasion Sue was beyond excited – she was nearly out of her mind.

As we turned the corner, I saw why she was in such a state.  We pulled into traffic behind Dad’s old car and the folks who bought it from us.  Sue had heard Dad’s car and KNEW that was where her Daddy was.  Soon, they turned one way while we kept on another way.  The keening sound that Sue made cut through me like a million sharp knives.  I don’t think that anything has ever hurt me so badly as the sound that she made, knowing that she was in pain and wanted to be with her Daddy.  I was so impacted that I had to pull over and gather myself before I could drive any further.

Of course, Sue being a dog, she lives in the moment.  So by the time we got to Doggie Fun Land, she was ready to run and play.  I wish I could have recovered as quickly.

Today, Father’s Day, was the toughest holiday since Dad passed.  It was even tougher than Thanksgiving, Christmas, Dad’s birthday, or mine.  Since my younger brother

John with Barkley and Alexander

John passed away in 2004, Father’s Day has been a special occasion for Dad, Sue, & I.  This year, with just Sue, Pal, and I it seemed a very lonely day.

If you know me, then you know how dearly I loved, and still love, my father.  If you don’t know me, then words can never tell you.

But I want to share these words anyway.  In 2007 I was still working part time at WGHN– and of course I was working on Father’s Day.  Before I left for work that morning, I placed a card and a pile of gifts on the dining room table.  I also left him a note.  The note is reproduced below, without any further comment.

Mel and his first puppy Sue

Dad,

I know that I’m doing more for Father’s Day this year than what we’ve traditionally done.  Partially that’s because I’m so grateful for all that you’ve done for me, and partially because I’m a little guilty about how little I’ve done for you.  Certainly some of it is a side effect of how scared I was about losing you in February.  But mostly it is just because I love you.

You’ve always seemed superhuman to me.  The strength of your character and the gentleness of your nature still inspire awe in me.  And when I look back from the lofty heights of my 47 years (yes, you should read some sarcasm in that) at how much you had accomplished in life by age 47, and how little I have accomplished, I am humbled.

Probably the single greatest thing that you did for both John and I was that you allowed us the space to be children when we were children and that you allowed us even more space to be our own selves when we became adults.  Recently I’ve thought a lot about that, and how I haven’t really given the same back to you.  I’ve always expected perfection from you.  And while you generally deliver on that score, I let myself become frustrated and even angry when those occasions arise when you are simply a human being.  That isn’t fair, and it isn’t right.  It has been a limiting factor in our tremendous friendship, and I am sorry for all the times that I’ve allowed my attitude to impact our relationship.

I know that you aren’t some comic book superhero who always does right.  I know that you are simply a man who always tries to do right.  And that is a far more precious and valuable thing.  I know that you forgive me for this, you always do – and I appreciate your indulgence more than I’ll ever be able to say or even show.  I will try harder to allow you the space to be your own self, and a human being.  But there will always be a little corner of myself that enjoys pretending that you really are that comic book superhero.

I wrote this all down and stuck it in a card for you to read while I am at work so that we could avoid one of those awkward, mushy moments.  But that doesn’t make it any less real.  Thank you for being my father, I love you.  Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Birthday Dad

Hey Boss,

I just wanted to write you a quick note as the dogs and I wrap up the preparations for your birthday tomorrow. It sounds a bit strange to me to be celebrating your birthday more than four months after your passing, but I decided that it will make me happy to celebrate you – and the special love that we shared.

We are going to start the day with a trip to Doggie Fun Land in Ferrysburg.  After dropping the dogs at home, I’ll pop over to Orchard Market to pick-up a big old porterhouse steak and some of those little cupcakes that you always enjoyed.  I debated about baking a cake for you, as I did every year, but I’ve been doing really well with my blood sugar lately and I don’t want to mess that up.

In the afternoon, Pal has an appointment at Harborfront Hospital for Animals.  He just turned nine this month and he’s due for his annual physical.  It just seemed appropriate on your birthday to take an old man to an appointment with a doctor.  Paladin graciously offered to fill in for you.

After his visit, we’ll stop in at the City Farmer to pick up a box of peanut butter bones for the dogs.  They are still Sue’s favorite food to play with, and she teases Pal and I mercilessly when she has one in her mouth.

Then it will be home to make dinner.  I’ll grill up the steak just the way you liked it – marinated in Worcestershire sauce and seasoned with salt and pepper.  I’m going to split it three ways with Sue and Pal.  I’m also going to share the cupcakes with them.  You should see Sue and Pal on a sugar buzz!  When I came home from your memorial service, I put the leftover cake on the kitchen counter while I changed.  When I came back into the kitchen, there were two happy looking dogs laying on the kitchen floor with some cardboard and plastic wrap between them.  About half an hour later, the two of them were running around the house like young pups – playing with all of the toys, teasing each other, barking at each other, and just having a great time.

After they eat their 9:30 treats, the three of us will snuggle in together on Pal’s couch for our moment of Irish Setter Zen.  And we will sing happy birthday to you.

It won’t be the party that we’ve thrown for you the last several years.  I haven’t invited anybody over, I didn’t buy balloons, or any of that party stuff.

It is still pretty lonely in the house without you, but as I promised you, Sue, Pal and I are taking care of each other.

Happy Birthday Dad!  We will always celebrate your memory.

Christmas Readings With Mel

Several years ago, my father and I started on a project to do readings of some of our favorite Christmas tales.  It had long been a family tradition on Christmas Eve to read these aloud to each other over tasty eggnog or toasty hot chocolate.

We thought that it would be great to put some of these on DVD to pass out as Christmas gifts to the children we knew – sort of a way of keeping the tradition alive.  Alas, we never completed the project.  But there are a few pieces of it that are close enough to presentable.  So tonight, I thought I would share them with you.

The first is the story of Christ’s birth, from the gospel of Luke.

 

The second one is the classic “Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus” from the pages of the New York Sun.

 

Thank you for sharing these with me.  And yes indeed, that is Sweet Sue making a cameo appearance.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A Letter To My Father

Dear Dad,

I hope that this letter finds you in good spirits (sorry, I just couldn’t resist the pun).  It has now been a month since you left us.  As I promised you; Sue, Pal, & I are taking good care of each other and we are doing alright.

There are tough moments in every day – times when I want to share things with you or get your opinion on something, times when I channel surf past a Law & Order re-run, and every time I come through the door into the house and you aren’t there.  Sue in particular had a very rough time the first couple of nights.  I don’t think she slept at all, she seemed to just pace all night, waiting for you to get into her bed with her.  Within a week she gave that up and started sleeping on the couch with Paladin.  Finally, last night she slept in her bed all by herself.  We are all making adjustments.

The holiday season has been particularly stressful.  But I’ve had tremendous support from our neighbors, from Donna and her family, from Marcia, from a host of Lakers, from my MDS friends, and from my friend Linda.  I’ve even gotten support from some of the folks at the Irish Setter rescue.

One last gift from Dad

I keep thinking back to last Christmas, when we were together and you wept openly because there was no gift under the tree for me.

This year, your gift to me arrived in the mail 10 days after your passing.  When I opened the shipping package and read the gift tag “Remember that every day is like Christmas!  Love Dad, Sue, & Pal” my knees buckled.

But it motivated me to put up the Christmas tree and the decorations.  And tomorrow, after the chores are done and the dogs have opened all of their gifts – I will open one last Christmas present from you.  Thank you.  I know how much effort it must have taken for you to order a gift for me.  I know how much you love me – and I know that you are aware of just how much I love you.

In contrast to last year when we were together, there was no gift under the tree for me, and you were crying – this year we are apart, there is a gift for me, and I’ll be doing the crying.  I miss you, and I always will.  And whatever this present is, I’m certain that I will love it – just because it came from you.  Although it will have to pass a pretty high bar to beat last year’s gift.

I don’t know about where you are right now, but I like to picture you walking in that field across from the cabin with Hart Winter to your left and Jerry Winter to your right with a whole pack of beautiful red dogs out in front of you working hard to set those pheasants.  Of course Koof, Hercules, Sugar, and JoJo will be trailing behind you – their hearts bursting with joy just to be with you again.

Say hello to John, Alan, Ken, and your mother for me.  Tell them that I love them all.  And send my best to the rest of the gang there with you.

Sue, Pal, and I will be alright.  We share the love you gave us, and we have all of the tools you taught us.  I may never become the man you were, but thanks to you I have everything I need to become the best man I can be and to be my own man.

Thank you Dad.  I love you.

 

Love, your son

Jim

 

P.S. Sue and Pal both juiced up to send you big sloppy Irish Setter kisses too.

Mel Is Still Being Mel

Dad & I at a Piston's game

I’ve often said that you haven’t really been to a place until you’ve been there with Mel.

Dad always enjoyed going to new places – not just to see new sights, but also to meet new people.  He fully enjoyed life everywhere he was, and he shared that joy with everybody that he encountered.  It didn’t matter where or when, there were always people that he hadn’t met yet – and they would become new friends.  And more often than not, there were people there that he already knew – creating a joyful reunion of old friends.

Camden Yards

For example, in 1996 I was working on a job site near Baltimore, MD.   As I often did, I flew Dad out for a weekend visit.  We had tickets for an afternoon Orioles game at Camden Yards, where we not only had a great time watching the game, but we got to stuff ourselves on Boog Powell’s BBQ in the outfield concourse.  To fill time before the game, Dad had said that he would like to visit the grave of Edgar Allan Poe.

Edgar Allan Poe's grave

So we added a trip to the grave to our itinerary.  Since I had no idea where the grave was actually located, we left fairly early in the morning to allow ourselves time to locate the site.

We had no trouble locating the site.  We found it immediately on the first try.  It was fascinating, and we spent almost an hour there.  This still left us with several hours to kill.

Dad decided that since we had time to kill we should try to locate the old Memorial Stadium.  Dad had fond memories of watching Johnny Unitas on TV, as well as all of those old Oriole greats.  So off we went to find Memorial Stadium.

Memorial Stadium

And find it we did.  The stadium is tucked away in a residential neighborhood.  We walked the entire perimeter of the facility from across the street to get a good look at the outside of the famous horseshoe shaped building.  And it was amazing.  But since nobody was using the facility at the time, it was a bit boring.  As we stood outside the fence at the open end of the horseshoe, a security guard walked past.

Dad struck up a conversation with him, and in no time we were enjoying a private tour of the place, from the locker rooms to the press box and all stops in between!  That’s just part of the fun when you traveled someplace with Mel.

Behold, the power of the Dum Dum!

On Wednesday, I posted the eulogy that I presented at Dad’s memorial service.  Part of that eulogy included a tribute to the power of the Dum Dum sucker.  Coach Hall always used Dum Dums to recognize and reward the accomplishments of the athletes on his track and field teams.

Lo and behold, on Thursday morning I found this e-mail from Dean Spangler, the Chairman and CEO of the Spangler Candy Company, the makers of Dum Dums!

Jim:
It is apparent that your father, Mel, was a remarkable man.
Our sincere condolenses to you and your family.

Your blog popped up because of the reference to Dum Dums.

As I read your "Eulogy for My Father" I was quite moved. I
have great fondness for good teachers and people that find
the good in life.  Your father had both those traits.  While
we hear many wonderful stories about Dum Dums, I just wanted
you to know that this one probably resonated more than any 
other.

I too was blessed to have a wonderful father.  He has been 
gone 34 years now and still thoughts of him brighten my days 
and inspire me to be better.  I will try to be a little 
better person today for him, and for Mel.

Dean L. Spangler
Chairman & CEO
Spangler Candy Company
"The Dum Dums Company"

Spangler Candy - makers of Dum Dums

Even from beyond the pale, Dad is still reaching out to others.  I’m so proud that Mel is still being Mel!

A Eulogy For My Father

Melvin Edward Hall - April 1, 1932 - November 24, 2010

There are those who seek fame and fortune in life.  My father was not one of those people.

There are those who put their own interests first.  My father was not one of those people.

There are those who seek admiration, adoration, respect, sympathy, compassion, and a host of other responses from those around them.  My father was not one of those people.

My father was a teacher.

It was more than his vocation, more than a job, a profession, or a career.  It was who he was and it was what he loved.  He constantly sought knowledge and wisdom, even in the most unlikely of places – not for his own edification, but so that he could pass it along to others – human and canine.

The truth mattered to Dad.  The hopes, desires, and emotions of others mattered to Dad.  In nearly every conversation he ever had, he would tell a story from his life.  It might be a story of one of his many successes.  It might be a story of one of his many failures.  It might just be a story of everyday life.  But it was always a story that he felt would provide something useful to the listener.  It was never about him, but about how he could be of service to somebody else.

Dad smiled often.  A big, giant, authentic smile – because he found great joy in life.  Joy in his surroundings, joy in the growth and accomplishments of others, joy in the bounce of a dog’s step, joy in living life.

I was truly blessed in life to be the recipient of so much of his joy.  When ever I was down, when ever I faced a difficult decision, when ever I was not sure how to go on – I talked with Dad.  He would listen, as he was a great listener.  And then he would share a story.  As a child I was often frustrated with these stories – I just wanted him to tell me straight out what I thought I needed to hear.  As I grew and matured, I realized that he had provided the information, the knowledge, and the wisdom I needed to come to my own conclusions – to make the decisions that were right for me.  Not what he wanted me to do, not what would work out best for him, but he always gave me what I needed to advance my own way down my own path – and live my own life.

He gave this gift not only to my brother John and I, but to every one he conversed with, every student in his classroom, and every athlete he coached.  He was indeed a very generous man.

One of the things that both John and I gained from him was a love for the written word.  And it would not be a eulogy for an English teacher without a poem.  Dad taught me to enjoy the simple way of the poet Edgar Guest – the poet laureate of Michigan.  This is Guest’s “A Boy and His Dad.”

A boy and his dad on a fishing-trip—
There is a glorious fellowship!
Father and son and the open sky
And the white clouds lazily drifting by,
And the laughing stream as it runs along
With the clicking reel like a martial song,
And the father teaching the youngster gay
How to land a fish in the sportsman's way.  

I fancy I hear them talking there
In an open boat, and the speech is fair.
And the boy is learning the ways of men
From the finest man in his youthful ken.
Kings, to the youngster, cannot compare
With the gentle father who's with him there.
And the greatest mind of the human race
Not for one minute could take his place.   

Which is happier, man or boy?
The soul of the father is steeped in joy,
For he's finding out, to his heart's delight,
That his son is fit for the future fight.
He is learning the glorious depths of him,
And the thoughts he thinks and his every whim;
And he shall discover, when night comes on,
How close he has grown to his little son.   

A boy and his dad on a fishing-trip—
Builders of life's companionship!
Oh, I envy them, as I see them there
Under the sky in the open air,
For out of the old, old long-ago
Come the summer days that I used to know,
When I learned life's truths from my father's lips
As I shared the joy of his fishing-trips.

I would like to close by sharing a story of Mel – and the power of the Dum Dum sucker.  For every athlete who went out for track, he would make a sheet listing all of the possible events in a track and field meet.  On this sheet he would note the athlete’s best performance in every and any event.  Each time the athlete would post a new “best” performance in any event, that student’s name would go on the “Sucker List.”  And each week Coach Hall would read off the names on the “Sucker List” and award a Dum Dum sucker for each personal best.

Of course it wasn’t the actual Dum Dum sucker that inspired 18-year old boys to push themselves to a new achievement.  It was the public recognition, the acknowledgement that Coach noticed their efforts and wanted to celebrate their achievements with the team.

This led shot-putters to form their own “Fat Man” 440-Relay team – so that they could earn that sucker and that recognition.  The fact that the sprint work also improved their ability to turn a circle and put the shot farther was never discussed.  It was simply enough that they tried something new, or improved on a previous best.

As you leave the Sanctuary today, you will find bowls of Dum Dum suckers waiting.  Please take a sucker, on credit from Mel, and as you go through the day – do something new or better than you have ever done before.  That will be Mel’s legacy.

last hopes

My younger brother John found his way through life by writing about it.  As I was working my way through Dad’s stuff today I came across one of my favorite of John’s poems.  I’ve often taken the advice he presents here on difficult days.  I think I’ll do so tonight.

last hopes

john lee hall

the woman

i thought i’d loved

had left

me.  my rent

went

unpaid

because dear father

stopped payment

on his check

“just to show”

me.  my last

close friend

had o.d.’d

on strychnine,

and my checks

bounced higher

than a head-first

suicide

off a six-story

parking tower.

i had five

bucks

left.  the phone

was restricted

to local.

i dialed:

three

five

one, seven

one

hundred,

was put

on hold, came

off hold,

and asked

for what i needed

most —

and it came

with two

free

pepsis.

 

god

won’t answer

my prayers,

but dominoes

delivers.

Rest In Peace Melvin Edward Hall

April 1, 1932 - November 24, 2010

Melvin Edward Hall – April 1, 1932 – November 24, 2010 – Father, teacher, coach, and a comfort to dogs.

Mel passed away peacefully in his home on Wednesday, attended by his son Jim and his beloved Irish Setters Sue and Paladin.  His final days were brightened considerably by visits from family, friends, and former students.

Mr. Hall was born in Muskegon to parents Melvin Bristol Hall and Irene (Vos) Hall.  After graduation from Muskegon High School in 1950 he attended Western Michigan University, funded by R.O.T.C. and a Latin scholarship.  He made the Bronco football team as a walk-on, and was a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.

After satisfying his military commitments, he completed his Masters degree at WMU.  In 1959, he married the former Lois Marie Pugh and joyously welcomed the arrival of sons James Edward (1961) and John Lee (1963).

He began a career as a high school teacher and administrator at Allegan High, moving on to DeTour and Gobles high schools before landing at Spring Lake High School in 1964.  He taught English and Latin at SLHS until his retirement in 1992 and was the school’s first Cross Country coach.  He also coached Track & Field for the Lakers, overseeing the design of the track facilities at Grabinski Field, and introduced girls’ teams in both Track and Cross Country.  His boys’ track teams experienced a streak of 41 dual meet victories that was unbroken from 1981 to 1986.

In his later years, he worked as a substitute teacher, served on the Spring Lake Village Council, and volunteered as a Foster Parent for Save Our Setters, Inc. – an Irish Setter rescue organization.

He was proceeded in death by his parents, his brother Kenneth James Hall, his son John Lee Hall, and his former wife Lois.  He is survived by his son Jim, sister-in-law Donna Hall of Fremont, daughter-in-law Karla Kube of East Lansing, Matthew Kube-McDowell of West Lafayette, IN, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be at the VanZantwick, Bartels, & Kammeraad Funeral Home of Spring Lake.  The Reverend Dan Anderson will officiate the service at the Spring Lake Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to Save Our Setters, Inc. on-line at www.saveoursetters.org or by mail at Save Our Setters, Inc. P.O. Box 328 Oakland, TN  38060.

Arrangements are being handled by VanZantwick, Bartels, & Kammeraad Funeral Home of Spring Lake.