James Hall

James Gardner Hall, 86, (Ret. Marine Corps Gy.Sgt.), died with family by his side at Douglas County Memory Care Facility, Omaha, NE on March 4, 2024.  He was born on April 19, 1937, son of Maurice and Manilla Hall.  Jim was raised in Omaha, NE and Wayzata, MN in the family restaurant business. After attending Tech High, he joined the United States Marine Corp in 1955 and received his G.E.D.

At 22, he married Grace Rydning and was eventually blessed by the birth of his daughter, Kym.  Jim moved his family across the country for his various duties as a Marine. He was a Recruiter at Independence, MO, and completed multiple combat tours in Vietnam, including with the highly-decorated HMM-364 (Purple Fox) Squadron as Supply Sergeant and 34-D Helicopter Door Gunner.  Jim was stationed at several locations including Chicago, IL, Okinawa, Japan, and Albany, GA.  His 17-year USMC career was concluded by disability in 1972 and he eventually returned to Omaha, NE in 1974.  His marriage to Grace ended and he met his current wife, Judy, on his first day as a Security Guard at Mutual of Omaha.  He was promoted to Job Analyst at Mutual and later took a Veterans Administration (VA) internship as a Veterans’ Benefits Counselor and Nebraska Work Study Coordinator.  He served the Veterans in that role until he retired.  The VA called him back and he chose to go into the Veterans’ Records Department where he worked until his final retirement at the age of 76 with 24 years of service.  Following his first retirement, Jim worked in the Hagen-Hall Creations and Hallandall knitting machine businesses.  He studied history at Bellevue University.  He was an active member of the DAV, VFW, American Legion, 40 & 8, and Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.  Jim and Judy attended Purple Fox Vietnam Reunions and Nebraska Vietnam Reunions often.  He was an avid bowler, golfer, and firing range expert.  Jim loved watching sunrises and sunsets and fireworks from his Fort Calhoun home decks on 10 acres.  He loved humor and music and travel and people and knowledge.  Above all, Jim was a devoted Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, and Friend, and will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing and loving him.

He is survived by his wife, Judy of 48 years, his daughter, Kym (Tom) Bybee of Omaha and his three grandchildren, James, Grace, and Naomi, his sister-in-law, Linda Burgher (Ralph) of Tucson, AZ, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

 
He is preceded in death by his parents, Maurice and Manilla Hall, brother, Maurice (Ann) Hall, and sisters, Jean (Herb) Bro and Marie (Frank) Santo.