Warren Hall

We mourn the death of Warren (Ed) Hall Jr of Overland Park who passed away on December 11, 2018.

Born January 18, 1921 to Warren Edward Hall and Rosalie Scott Hall, Ed grew up on the family farm in Weston, Missouri working row crops, raising livestock and growing apples. The oldest of 4 siblings, he is the last to die at 97.

Before graduating from KU in 1946, he met a young woman who would change his life. A member of Delta Chi, he was talking with a fraternity brother when a beautiful coed drove up to the chapter house in a convertible. Looking out a window, he told his friend, “See that gal right there? I don’t know her, but I’m going to marry her.” That gal was Mary Elizabeth Dunden, who he would take as his wife in 1945 at the Danforth Chapel on the Lawrence campus. They raised two children, Steve and Barb, who couldn’t have asked for better parents.

Ed spent his early years in Lawrence getting a pilot’s license, then becoming an instructor. He eventually put those skills to work as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Force during WW II. He was able to skip Boot Camp because he already knew how to fly and went right to work ferrying planes to Africa, Asia, Indonesia, Russia and parts of North America. He flew B-25’s made in the Fairfax District of Kansas City, as well as the C46, C47 and D3.

Ed was a shrewd businessman with a sense of adventure. In the 1940’s he bought a 1925 Roadster with no body on it for $3. He told the seller he’d give him $6, if he could get it to run. He eventually drove the Roadster on a family vacation to Minnesota. He ended up trading it and threw in $15, for a Model-T he had until just two years ago.

He worked hard his entire life. As a child, it was Ed’s responsibility to arrive at school early to start a fire that would warm the building before the other students arrived. He had many chores on the farm, including a brief stint milking a cow which he did not enjoy. As an adult he worked at the Lawrence Box Co., JS Merritt (an ice cream plant) and H & R block. He spent most of his life running a printshop, Boelte-Hall, that started out in the basement of a Katz drugstore in Roeland Park. He eventually took a chance on a tract of land no one wanted, moving the company to a hillside at I-35 and Roe where the present day Boelte-Hall LLC is located. Retirement for Ed revolved around classic cars. As a member of the Early Ford V8 club, he joined other enthusiasts touring the U.S., Australia and Europe in their vintage rides.

In addition to his Model-T, he had a ’41 Ford Opera Coupe. He enjoyed restoring a ’39 Convertible Sedan with his good friend Dave Crawford. He traveled to car shows all over the country. At one of these he met Wisconsin farmer Clay Nichols. They teamed up for the “Great American Race” three years in a row and had the time of their lives. One year a reporter road along with them calling them “tough old geezers” in a story that appeared in Car and Driver magazine.

Ed had his share of heartache. His wife Betty died in 1983. Many years later he made a friend of a church secretary, Fran Petitti, who became his second wife. They lived part time in Arizona and loved to travel. Ed once said a man would be lucky to find one good woman to marry in a lifetime and he found two. Fran passed away in 2001.

In the final days of his life, he rooted for his beloved KU basketball team and followed the ups and downs of the Kansas City Chiefs overtime game against the Baltimore Ravens. Ed handled the challenges of old age with quiet dignity. This is a man to be admired for many things including his commitment to his country, his family and his many friends.

He is survived by his children, 3 grandchildren, two great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends including Donna Cody of Utah who shared the ride with him for years at the end of his life. It is fitting that his funeral will be at the Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village where he was a member for 62 years.

Services will be held in the Chapel at 3:30, Monday December 17th at: Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Rd Prairie Village, Ks. 66208

In lieu of flowers the family recommends contributions to the Village Presbyterian Church.