Herman L. Hall

Herman Lew Hall was born August 14th 1923 and spent his first years in Canton Ohio.

His Parents were Leslie Lew, and Anna (Jameson) Hall.

He was the Elder brother to Richard and Margaret.

 

Around the age of 7, Herman's family moved from Ohio to Florida, settling in Haines City, located in Central Florida.

By now they were in the midst of the great depression, and it wasn't long before Herman was helping the family augment funds and food sources.

To help the family financially, Herman bicycled over miles of dirt roads delivering newspapers, including the local 'Gator Farm'.

At a young age Herman was outfitted with a small shotgun, and would often go out hunting with his father and younger brother. Rabbit was the favorite target for the dinner table.

He would help his father lay bait lines for fish, in the local lakes, often catching turtles which his mother would turn into meals. Herman would admit he rarely enjoyed that! Herman loved the sport of fishing ,but didn't like the taste of fish!!

Herman's father, Leslie was fortunate enough to get a job cleaning out the box cars down at the train tracks. As a result ,he was able to glean various fruits and vegetables that were left strewn about the cars.

Herman spent some years helping his father at a local auto repair shop that his father ran in the back building behind their home in Haines City.

 

Upon graduation from high school in 1941 ,Herman set out to Glendale California for a 12-month training course in aeronautical engineering at 'Aero Industries Technical Institute'. 

Part of his trip was riding the Sunset Limited train from New Orleans to Los Angeles, California.

He shared an apartment with a few other guys. He befriended Northrop's son, of the Northrop Lockheed company, who was also going to the school.

He worked for Northrop for one and a half years until he was drafted to camp Blanding. He then went to Fort McPherson, Georgia for several weeks, followed by the army Air Corps at Keesler Field in Mississippi for basic training. He was chosen to be part of an advanced flight school at Craig Field Alabama. He had a temporary assignment servicing AT6's on the flight line. At this time, he also joined the Army Air Corps band as he played baritone in high school. He taught himself trombone, and chose to play that instrument in the band.

When the war ended, Herman used his GI Bill to gain an aeronautical engineering degree at Purdue University.

 

 Before Graduating in 1949, Herman fell in love, literally with the girl next door.  Mildred Lois Kaeser ,from Haines City Florida, married Herman in the chapel on the campus of Purdue University in 1948.

Herman and Mildred headed to Southern California following graduation. They went on to have three daughters, Carol, Alice, and Nancy.

Herman was employed with McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach for the bulk of his career. It was from this company that he retired in his '60s.

He was involved in several projects, but most of his time was spent on the DC-10 and the KDC-10 programs. He worked on environmental systems of both planes.

 

The family lived in Hawthorne until 1964 when they moved into a two-story home in the city of Orange California.

Herman was a passionate man, with varied interests in many eclectic things. It was not unusual for him to take his daughters and his wife on many excursions, such as camping, tours of nuclear reactors,  exploring caverns in New Mexico, tours of steel mills, and of course many air shows. He loved music and especially pipe organ concerts and had an organ he played at home. He was quite taken with photography as well, and much to our delight, we have many, many boxes of slides. Memories!!!

In their senior years, Herman and Mildred enjoyed RV clubs where they traveled with their friends in their fifth wheel trailer.

They saw all three of their daughters get married at their home church, First United Methodist Church of Orange.

Herman and Mildred were very involved in church life, leadership, and Bible studies.

Herman renewed his love for model airplanes and soaring glider planes, by becoming a member of a local soaring club for model gliders. We certainly need to mention ,he had a lifelong hobby of dealing in the stock market.

 

Herman joined his love, Mildred, in heaven on July 2nd 2021. He leaves behind his three daughters, a son-in-law, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

 

He referred to his girls as his three princesses. He was the foundation for the family heritage of deep love. His girls are proud to tell anyone and everyone ,that they are a daughter of Herman L. Hall.

 

Until later Dad! Much, Much love..

Carol, Alice and Nancy.