Arnold Ray Hall, Sr.

Arnold (Ray) Hall Sr. of Council Grove Ks passed away peacefully at the age of 92 on May 19, 2024 at Chase County Care and Rehabilitation in Cottonwood Falls Ks with family by his side. 

Ray was born in Diana West Virginia on December 22, 1931, to Mable Hall and grew up in Webster County West Virginia until he left after joining the US Army during the Korean War. Ray served his time in the Army stationed in Korea and Germany as a Mechanic and upon returning to the United States he was stationed in Fort Riley Ks until his departure from the military. During his time at Fort Riley Ray met Mary G Alvarado Washburn and they were later married in September of 1962. Ray and Mary raised 10 children together. Ray also had 2 children from a previous marriage. Ray spent his life after the military working mostly in the Construction industry as well as the Oil industry. Ray worked for Panhandle Eastern as well as Shamrock Oil and later worked in construction building the Council Grove Ks Federal reservoir as well as other reservoirs in our area. He also was a Maintenance Supervisor at IBP for several years when the plant first opened. Ray later owned and operated Hall’s Salvage Yard in Council Grove Ks as well as owning and operating the Hilltop Café alongside his wife Mary until it burned down in 1993. Ray spent the remainder of his life running the Salvage Yard and raising his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren alongside his wife Mary. They both enjoyed always having a house full of kids and grandchildren. He enjoyed his time working on vehicles alongside his sons and grandsons and cutting firewood every chance he had along with spending time with family. Ray made sure that his children and grandchildren always had everything they needed to have fun and was right there with them riding 4 wheelers, dune buggies, jet ski’s, snow mobiles and anything else he could buy for them to enjoy and have a good time. Ray also loved fishing and hunting. He enjoyed life to the fullest and as he would say, “never let the grass grow under your feet”. Ray never said goodbye to anyone as he always said that goodbyes were forever, and he would see you again someday in the hereafter. 

Ray is survived by his children Kenneth Washburn and wife Janet of Elgin Illinois, Jose Washburn of Council Grove Ks, Mary Washburn of Council Grove, Tammy Muller and husband Richard of Council Grove, Arnold (Ray) Hall Jr and wife Jill of Manteo NC, George Hall of Council Grove, and Deborah Hall of Council as well as numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Edith Hall of Ohio, brother Jim Coakley of West Virginia and sister Virginia Coakley of Pennsylvania as well as many nieces and nephews. 

Ray is preceded in death by his wife Mary, sons Donald, Dulan and Richard Washburn, grandson’s Nathan Davis and Scott Divelbiss Hall, Son-In-Law Kenneth Davis Jr, his mother Mable Hall Coakley as well as brothers Olden, Woodrow and Robert Coakley and sister’s Juanita and Lea. 

A Memorial service with Military Honor’s will be held on August 31, 2024 at 2pm at the Four Mile Cemetery southwest of Council Grove.

Family and friends will gather at the home of Richard and Tammy Muller 1250 Four Mile Rd Council Grove Ks at 5pm for food and drinks and storytelling about the life of Ray. 

Ray’s ashes will be taken back home to his beloved state of West Virginia and buried on October 26, 2024 in the McCoy Cemetery in Webster County West Virginia.