Essie Hall

Essie Murl, daughter of Alfred Lee and Mary Elizabeth (Hill) Mullen, was born October 21, 1919 in Mountain Crest, Franklin County, Arkansas. She was the youngest of six children and attended local schools. Her high school years were spent at the School of the Ozarks, a boarding school, in Branson, MO, where she graduated as class valedictorian in 1939. Following graduation she moved to Tulsa, OK for a year, and then returned home to help care for her sick father and assist with the farm work. After his death she went to Wichita, KS to visit her brother, applied for work at Boeing, was hired and started work the next day in October of 1942. She worked in the sheet metal assembly and riveting on Boeing B-29s used in the war effort. The women who worked building aircraft were dubbed Rosie the Riveter'. While at Boeing she met Ronald "Doc" Hall who had moved to Wichita from Bayard, Iowa, to work at Boeing. After a short courtship they were united in marriage on September 8, 1944. According to Essie there was no honeymoon."There was no money and besides, we had to get back to work." Following their marriage, the couple continued working at Boeing during World War II. On VJ Day when the couple went to work they were fired and sent home. The end of the war in 1945 allowed Doc and Essie to leave Kansas and move to the Bayard area where they started farming. Doc and Essie were the parents of four sons and farmed all of their lives southwest of Bayard on the Hall Family Century Farm. Essie enjoyed being a farm wife and mother. She was a member of the Church of Christ in Bayard and, for over 50 years, in the Rebekah Lodge in Bagley. She was also an Odd Fellow and a member of Harmony Club. She loved to knit and crochet and gave away over 125 afghans. (If you happened to receive one, give Essie a kind thought when you snuggle in.) Doc and Essie remained in their home on the farm till they moved into an apartment in Bayard in 2000 and Doc passed away in 2003. When her health no longer permitted her to live alone she moved to New Homestead in Guthrie Center in 2012. She died there on Thursday, May 14, 2015 at the age of 95 years, 6 months and 23 days. Preceding her in death are her parents; husband; son Dennis Hall; and five siblings Lela, Lora, Hubert, Delmer and Troy. Essie is survived by three sons Jerry (Sharon) Hall of Southfield, MI; Roger (Mary) Hall of Vashon, WA and Bruce (Ramona) Hall of Camano Island, WA; 7 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; brother Howard Mullen of Caldwell, ID; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Reverend Bob Rogers, Officiating Music "How Great Thou Art" "Amazing Grace" "In The Garden" Lula Garnes, Accompanist Casket Bearers Roger Hall Bruce Hall Jerry Hall Brenda Maskos David Hall Brian Hall Interment Highland Township Cemetery Bayard, Iowa