Russell “Gene” Hall, 84, passed away peacefully Saturday afternoon, Sept. 1, 2012, at the Christina House in Franklin. He was a resident of Trafalgar.

Gene was born Dec. 24, 1927, in Johnson County to Moses Roscoe and Fannie Jane (Tharpe) Hall. He served as a master sargent with the United States Army from during World War II. On Nov. 30, 1946, he married Marguerite “Bricky” C. (Duckwitz) Hall in Tacoma, Wash. Bricky preceded him in death March 13, 2003, after 56 devoted years.

Gene is survived by his loving children, Larry A. (wife, Susan) Hall of Morgantown, Kathy L. (husband, Donald) Brewer of Nineveh, Debby K. (husband, Richard) Harlow of Morgantown and Jan D. Hall of Nineveh. He was the grandfather to eight grandchildren, Gary Smith of Morgantown, Jeff Smith of Nineveh, Chris Hall of Trafalgar, Robin Brooking of Ellettsville, Angela Misorski of Trafalgar, Tony Harlow of Trafalgar, Kevin Harlow of Brown County and Lori Paulin of Greenwood; 18 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

Gene was preceded in death by his only sibling, Lloyd D. Hall on May 18, 1991.

He retired in 1992 as the transportation maintenance supervisor for Nineveh-Hensley-Jackson School Corporation in Trafalgar after 25 years of service. Prior to that, Gene was the owner and operator of Gene’s Garage & Body Shop in Samaria during the late 1950s.

He was a member of the Beach Grove Baptist Church in Trafalgar where he was a former deacon and a 50-year member of the Trafalgar Masonic Lodge. Gene enjoyed fishing trips to Canada, working on automobiles and was a ham radio operator. He was a fan of NASCAR with Dale Earnhart Sr. being his favorite driver and enjoyed spending time with his beloved dog, “Lady.”

The Rev. Thomas Knight will conduct a funeral service at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 6 at Meredith-Clark Funeral Home Cremation & Personalization Center, 179 E. Mulberry St. in Morgantown. Friends can call from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens in Greenwood with graveside military rites presented by the Greenwood American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars honor guards.

Memorial contributions can be sent in honor of Gene to the Beech Grove Baptist Church Memorial Fund in care of Meredith-Clark Funeral Home, P.O. Box 308, Morgantown, IN 46160.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be made to the Hall family at www.meredith-clark.com.