Dr. Donald E. Hall

Dr. Donald Elliott Hall, 81, of Wadsworth Ohio, passed away peacefully on June 28th, 2020 at The Sanctuary Wadsworth following a long battle with vascular dementia.

Born on May 5, 1939, in Ellwood City, PA, Don was the second of four children born to Charles R. and Virginia E Brooks Hall.

Don graduated from Lincoln High School in 1957. He went on to earn a Bachelors in Education from Indiana University in Pennsylvania in 1961. He then went on to earn his Masters of Education from Westminster College in 1967 and then earned his PhD in Speech Pathology from Ohio University in 1971.

Don’s first job was as a reporter for the New Castle News, he then became the speech pathologist for Lawrence County (PA) Easter Seal Society. He worked for Lawrence County (PA) schools; Elmhurst college, as the Associate Professor in the Department of Speech; Southern Illinois University as the Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Speech and Hearing. He then spent 24 years at the University of Akron where he was the Director of the Speech and Hearing Clinic, Associate Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts and a Professor of Communicative Disorders. In addition to teaching and advising theses and dissertations of Akron U. graduate students, Dr. Don authored numerous journal articles, presentations, and grants. Upon retiring from the university and moving to Savannah Georgia, Don then served at Armstrong State University as the Associate Professor of Special Education and finished his career at the Matthew Reardon Advance Academy as a Speech Pathology Consultant and the Director of Educational Services. Don spent his free time after retiring, volunteering at Fort Pulaski, taking beautiful photographs and working in the gift shop. He was honored with the Volunteer Presidential Award for his years of service to the National Monument.

Don’s passion was photography. He was never far from a camera to capture that special moment or a beautiful sunset. He enjoyed travelling especially taking cruises to the Caribbean, which he did quite often. He adored his grandchildren and cherished every moment spent with them. He loved his family, especially his brothers and sister, who he loved to tease and joke with. He also loved his yorkies that he spoiled rotten, Hope, Charity and Buttons.

Don is preceded in death by his parents; youngest son, Elliott A. Hall; sister-in-law, Marie A. Hall; brother-in-law, James E. (Jim) Hardie.

He will be deeply missed by his oldest son, Brian B. (Diennia) Hall, Emily Brooks and Liam Charles Hall, all of Wadsworth, OH; daughter-in-law, Angela Maxwell of Cary IL; siblings, Charles M. Hall of Glen Allen VA; Gwendolyn R. Hardie of Fostoria, Oh; and Larry A. (Nancy) Hall of Gibbstown, NJ. and many adored nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at Marshall’s Funeral Home, 200 Fountain Ave., Ellwood City PA 16117 on Saturday July 11th at 3:00 pm with Rev. Sean Brubaker officiating. Family will receive friends at 1:00 pm until the time of the service. A private interment in the Portersville (PA) Bible Church cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) or to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (lls.org); Calvin Presbyterian Church, 615 Crescent Avenue, Ellwood City, PA 16117.

Online condolences may be sent to marshallsfh.com.