Joe David Hall

Dr. Joe Hall, longtime Abilene physician, died Tuesday, June 15, at Hendrick Hospice after a lingering illness.

Visitation will be Monday, June 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Hamil Family Funeral Home. Burial will be at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 22, with a memorial service following at 1:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church, where Joe had been a member since 1971.

Joe David Hall was born March 26, 1939, in San Angelo to Edgelee and Bill Hall. He graduated from San Angelo Lakeview High School in three years and entered Hardin-Simmons University at 17 years of age. After three years, he finished his pre-med requirements and was accepted into the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.

Following medical school, Joe interned at Hillcrest Memorial Hospital, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He then served as a physician in the Navy, first serving on the USS Austin based out of Norfolk, Virginia and later at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi. He then completed his pathology residency and fellowship in Houston under the guidance of Baylor College of Medicine.

Joe worked at Clinical Pathology Associates at Hendrick Medical Center while attending HSU. He returned there as a Pathologist in 1971 and was associated with that group for more than thirty years. While at Hendrick, he served twice as chief of staff, as well as serving on numerous committees. He was loved and respected by his colleagues and employees. After retiring, he returned to work at ProPath in Dallas until 2016. 

Joe married Rosemary Nowell on June 12, 1959, at Belmont Baptist Church in Abilene, and they celebrated their 62nd anniversary together at Hendrick Hospice. 

Joe loved the outdoors and spent much of his retirement at his farm near Eula, which became a favorite gathering place for the family. He cherished the time with his grandchildren and made sure that they always learned from their shared activities in work and play. He had a wide variety of interests and developed many hobbies: motorcycles, pottery, photography, welding, hiking, cooking, foreign languages.  He was a voracious reader and always insisted on holding a book, not a “electronic reader.”

Joe is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Billy Jack Hall, as well as many other relatives and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Rosemary; daughter, Alison Beck and husband Micah and his son; David Hall and wife Stacie.  In addition, he is survived by his grandchildren: Zach Hall, Josh Hall, Ciara Beck Cohen and husband Benjamin, Daniel Beck, and bonus granddaughter, Angela Dethlefs; and bonus family, Celese, Weston, and Layton Cobey.   He was blessed with two great-granddaughters whom he loved dearly: Saydee Hall and Lilah Cohen. Two nieces, Teri Hall and Kim Tecsun also survive. 

The family wishes to thank Joe’s caregivers, particularly those at Hendrick Health System, Windcrest Healthcare System, Hendrick Hospice and Dr. Victor Hudman who was both physician and friend. Memorials may be made to Hendrick Hospice or First Baptist Church Give Hope.