Richmond “Rich” Hall

Richmond “Rich” Hall, 84, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 18, 2023 at Samaritan Hospital in Troy, NY after having suffered a heart attack two days prior. Rich was born at his family home in Shaftsbury, VT on September 18, 1938 to William Hall and Gertrude (Bump) Hall. Rich graduated from Arlington High School in 1956. He married the love of his life, Mary (Harrington) Hall, at the Shaftsbury Methodist Church on September 28, 1957 after having met at a square dance at the Grange Hall in Shaftsbury. Rich spent his life as a dairy farmer and owned a farm off East Road in Shaftsbury, where he and Mary worked side by side for around 50 years while raising their two daughters. Through the farm they built a wonderful community of neighbors, employees, friends, and colleagues, all of whom Rich treated as his own family. Rich was known for being extraordinarily generous and selfless. In the winter, he would wake up early to plow all the neighbors’ driveways without being asked, always leaving his own driveway for last. Even in the midst of the heart attack that ultimately took his life, he stopped to get the mail for his wife and their neighbor before going inside to call the ambulance. After retiring from farming, Richmond and Mary found a love for traveling and took many trips together to Pennsylvania and Maine, and even flew on a plane for the first time ever in 2019 to attend their grandson’s wedding. They relocated to North Bennington, VT after selling their home in Shaftsbury. Rich loved reading Western books, visiting the casino with Mary to try to win big on the penny slot machines, taking the scenic route everywhere he went, and collecting cans along the way (he had to fund the casino trips somehow!) Above all, he found the most joy when surrounded by family, especially his daughters, grandchildren, and great grandchild. When we told him we loved him, he would always respond with “I love you more.” Rich is survived by his wife of 65 years Mary Hall; his daughter Marlene (Bud Krawczyk) Hall of Shaftsbury, VT; his daughter Bonnie (Tim) Marsh of Bennington, VT; sisters Marilyn Harrington of Shaftsbury, VT; Roberta Reynolds of Shaftsbury, VT; and Donna Pradon of Lebanon, ME; his grandson Christopher (Lindsay) Barriere of Woodbury, MN; his granddaughter Hayley Barriere of Colchester, VT; his great-grandson Summit Barriere; Gretchen Johnson Martinez who was like a daughter to him; and many more beloved family members and friends. We will always “love him more.” He was predeceased by his parents William and Gertrude, and siblings Rufus Hall, Fabiola Gillis, William Hall Jr., and Helen Squires. A calling hour will be held on May 25, 2023 from 4-5pm at Hanson-Walbridge & Shea Funeral Home 213 West Main Street in Bennington, followed by a service at 5pm. A reception will follow at Homestead Mews in North Bennington. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Southwestern Vermont Cancer Center and Patient Resource Fund, or the Bennington Rescue Squad, c/o of Hanson-Walbridge & Shea Funeral Home P.O. Box 957 Bennington, VT 05201.