DOUGLAS DOW HALL

Douglas Dow Hall, age 82, of Rockford, Illinois, died Saturday, September 12, 2015 at Wesley Willows, Rockford, Illinois. Douglas was born on July 1, 1933, the son of John S. and Maude Hall in Kaltungo, Nigeria, where his parents and two sisters served as Sudan Interior Mission missionaries for over 40 years. Douglas attended schools in Florida and Calgary, Canada and later attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, graduating in 1956. He attended Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA and graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey. He married Ruth E. Swanson on August 12, 1955 in Wheaton, Illinois.

Douglas was an ordained minister for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) for nearly fifty years. He served as pastor for the following churches: Kitchell Memorial Presbyterian (East Hanover, N.J.), First Presbyterian (Somerdale, N.J.), Community Presbyterian (Lombard, IL), First Presbyterian (Anderson, IN). Douglas earned his Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lombard, IL. He then served as interim pastor for Presbyterian churches located in: Wilmington, IL, Mt. Pleasant, IA, Elgin, IL, Savanna, IL, Prairie Dell, IL, Schapville, IL, and Galena, IL. His ministry touched many lives as he cared deeply for his congregations along with his sincere faith and love of the Bible, respect for the Presbyterian Church, and his infectious enthusiasm. His wife Ruth was supportive of Douglas' ministry and added her own unselfish and caring acts of kindness.

Douglas was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend to many. He shared his love of traveling, gardening, the Chicago Bears, and jogging. Ruth, his beloved wife, passed away on September 24, 2010. Shortly after her death, he moved into Wesley Willows in Rockford, IL because of his Alzheimer's Disease. Douglas will be dearly missed by his family; one son, Scott (Kellie) Hall of Lake Geneva, WI; four daughters, Karen (Dale) Goeke of Rochester, MN, Deborah (Jeff) Vogt of Elkhorn, WI, Helen Hall of Lake Geneva, WI, Christine (Mike) Clymer of Kingston, IL, eight grandchildren, Charlie (Laura) Goeke, John (Katie) Goeke, Jessica (Aaron) Zschunke, Peter and Ed Vogt, Trischia (Matthew) Burdt, Kaci (CJ) McFarland, Mitch Clymer; six great-grandchildren, Lucile Goeke, Wyatt Burdt, Ava, Summer, Christian, and Jaxson McFarland and one brother, Norman Hall, one sister, Esther Gentile. Douglas was preceded in death by his wife Ruth, sisters, Agnes Hall, Margaret Hall, Helen Gingrich, two brothers, John Hall, James Hall, and brother-in-law, Robert Miller.

A special THANK YOU to the staff of Kirk's Place, Wesley Willows who provided good and loving care to Douglas for the past few years! Words cannot express our gratitude.

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." –

Philippians 3:12-14

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 25, 2015 at the Schapville Zion Presbyterian Church, 1006 E. Schapville Rd., Elizabeth, Illinois 61028 with Reverend Dottie Morizzo officiating. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., prior to the memorial service at the church. Burial will take place in the Schapville Zion Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Schapville Zion Presbyterian Church or to the Rockford Rescue Mission in Douglas' memory. Arrangements were entrusted to Ronan-Moore-Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL 60115 815-758-3841.

Schapville Zion Presbyterian Church 635 E, Schapville Rd., Elizabeth, Illinois 61028

Phone: +1 815/845-2272

Church directions

From the east:  Route 20 to Elizabeth Scales Mound Road, make a right turn; go to Schapville Road and make a right turn,  the church will be on your right at the point.

From the west:  Route 20 to Elizabeth Scales Mound Road make a left turn; go to Schapville Road and make a right turn, the church will be on your right.