‘I will miss him deeply’

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Some people referred to him as “Coach.” Others called him “Mayor.”

On Jan. 20, Crothersville lost Ronald “Ron” Hall, a lifelong resident of the southeastern Jackson County town. He died at Lutheran Community Home in Seymour. He was 69.

The 1964 Crothersville High School graduate remained dedicated to his alma mater, coaching boys and girls middle school basketball teams over the years. In recent years, he ran the clock for high school basketball games.

Kevin Hensley, Crothersville’s girls basketball head coach, said he knew Hall all of his life. Hall’s late sister, Phyllis, was married to Hensley’s late uncle, Otis.

Hensley said Hall always was a strong backer of Crothersville sports, whether it was at the school or in town with Little League baseball.

“He was a Little League baseball coach for as long as I can remember when I was younger and a good one at that,” Hensley said. “He was junior high girls coach for years also, and he was more than a coach; he tried to lead kids down the right path in life. He was a very competitive coach, always wanting the kids to learn how to be competitive on the field and on the court. He enjoyed being around the kids, and he loved his school and wanted to help any way he could.”

Kendyl Lewis had Hall as a basketball coach through her three years of middle school.

“I know for a fact I drove that man nuts, and he did the same thing to me,” she said. “Whenever I saw him in public, I tried to hide because he would talk to me for hours. But those times he would talk to me, he would give me the best advice.”

She said Hall even supported her decision when she decided to stop playing basketball her sophomore year.

“He told me to follow my heart in all things, and that’s what I stick to the most,” Lewis said. “I can’t thank that man enough, and I will miss him deeply.”

Hall was involved in the town by serving on the Crothersville Town Council and announcing during the Crothersville Red, White and Blue Festival parade.

He also was instrumental in the development of the Countryside Park diamonds, dugouts and buildings and in 1976-77 was named Indiana Jaycees Outstanding President.

“He was very involved and very interested in the betterment of our community. He was very faithful to be there and to do his part,” said Nancy Nay, who served as Crothersville clerk-treasurer for 30 years.

“At the time, we were very interested in improving all of our streets in town,” Nay said of when Hall was on the town council. “We had dedicated ourselves to really working on that to see some progress in developing the town into a better and easier place to live.”

Billy Deaton, who was a police officer and worked for the town for 30 years, said he appreciated Hall’s willingness to serve on the town council.

“He was a good board member, and he did the service for the town to run for the board and to do the work,” Deaton said. “People don’t really thank you for everything you do when you are in that position, especially in a small town where everybody knows everybody and knows everybody’s business.”

Deaton said he always liked interacting with Hall.

“Ronnie was a real easy-going, easy-spoken person,” Deaton said. “He had a really good disposition about him. He was a good man. I liked Ronnie and his family, and I really considered him to be a good friend.”

Hall was a fan of the Indiana Hoosiers, and Deaton said he enjoyed talking about basketball.

“He wore the IU jackets, and he knew everything that was going on with Indiana basketball,” Deaton said. “You could get him going if you wanted to talk about Bobby Knight and IU basketball.”

Hall retired in 2003 after 38 years at Cummins Engine Co. After retirement, he worked at McCammon Gardens and Tanner’s Market.

His family said he enjoyed fishing, tailgating at Indiana University football games, eating breakfast at Lucille’s Home Cookin’ with his friends, gardening, camping and family cookouts at the Cornett Retreat.

Hall’s parents, James and Naomi Hall, preceded him in death. His wife of 43 years, Linda, survives in Crothersville along with his two sons, Jason (Courtney Reeves) Hall of Columbus and Justin (Jill) Hall of North Vernon; two grandchildren, Madyson Hall of Columbus and Matthew Hall of North Vernon; and two brothers, Tom (Tammy) Hall of Scottsburg and Ed Hall of Crothersville.

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The funeral service for Ron Hall was conducted Monday at Adams Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Crothersville. Burial was at Crothersville Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health or donor’s choice of charity.

Online condolences may be made at adamsfuneralhomeonline.com.

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