I don't know if its the Holiday season or what, but for some reason I was wondering about Ron Hall today. Has anyone heard from his family lately? I would think his children are growing up by now, if not already grown. Ron's '53 is one of my all-time favorites. Right color, right stance, right tires & wheels, etc, etc. Ron was always willing to talk and share any technical info he could be of help with. Sorely missed!
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quote:Originally posted by Flashback
Tried to search for picture. For those of us that would like to see--- someone? Tex E. Grier
StudeDave '57 [8D]
San Diego, Ca. (for now...)
San Diego County SDC
The Official Website of the San Diego Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club. Serving San Diego County
'54 Commander Regal 4dr 'Ruby'
'57 Parkview 'Betsy' (she's a 2dr wagon)
'57 Commander DeLuxe 2dr 'Baby'
'57 Champion Custom 2dr 'Jewel'
'58 Packard sedan 'Cleo'
'65 Cruiser 'Sweet Pea'
Part owner of the one and only
'55 PROTOTYPE panel van
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I corresponded with Luanne late this spring. She is still living in Clarkston MI and attending school.
Their older son Luke is in the military -IIRC, a Marine- and was stationed in Iraq at the time. He may be stateside by now.
Their daughter Laura is a junior (English? Journalism?) at Anderson University in Anderson IN, only a few miles south of Ted Harbit, so you might say Laura is in the aura! (A little pun/rhyme, there, to wake everyone up this morning...)
Ron & Luanne's youngest son, Marc, is about 14 years old now, but I don't have a current report on him other than living with his Mom and attending school.
Thanks for remembering Ron Hall; as fine a Studebaker enthusiast as ever lived. A good remembrance at Christmas time, too: Luanne is fond of saying she didn't "lose" Ron February 2, 1996, because she knows right where he is and that she and the kids will see him again some day. BP
EDIT: Since Laura was a Junior when Luanne and I corresponded in the spring, I assume Laura would be a Senior this school year.We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.
G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.
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What happened to him?
Robert (Bob) Andrews Owner- Studebakeracres- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys!)
Parish, central NY 13131
"Some people live for the rules, I live for exceptions"- 311
"Do they all not, by mere virtue of having survived as relics of a bygone era, amass a level of respect perhaps not accorded to them when they were new?"
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Bob, thanks for the update. Many may know that the AOAI with permmission from Mrs. Hall had the SNM bring Ron'd record setting Avanti from the museum to participate in the Woodward Cruise. As I understand, it was a hit at the cruise. It was our way for remembering Ron and his efforts. He was a great Studebaker guy. If you want to see this car. it is on the Museum's website and is also featured in the latest Avanti Magazine. Johnny thanks for the post and the rememberace of Mr. Ron Hall.sigpicSee you in the future as I write about our past
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quote:Originally posted by fstst56
Ron had a disease, but I don't remember what it was.
Larry Swanson would know. There was a fund set up for Ron's
family and I believe Larry oversees it.
Most of us know that infants can tolerate higher body temperatures than can adults. So the older Ron got, the more critical it became to try to identify this problem. He spent untold hours at Drs. and The Mayo Clinic over his lifetime, but they just never could figure it out. He'd have an attack and they'd run him to the hospital and pack him in ice until his temperature was back down, but everyone (including Ron) knew this wasn't the long-term answer.
Sadly, the answer was not found in his lifetime. He had another "spell" in late January 1996 and simply never came out of it, despite the best efforts of medical folks attending to him. His youngest son, Marc, was 17 months old at the time. Ron was 46.
Ron Hall was a strong, life-long Christian, with a strength of faith most of us would envy...and lived his life accordingly. It wasn't necessary for him to preach; those anywhere near him could testify to his faith by how he conducted his life and the things he did. Many of his "formal" pictures with the Bonneville-racing Avanti that ultimately achieved 200.426 mph with Ron at the wheel, show Ron holding a Bible in one hand. Matthew 6:33 was written on the car's hood; Ron's personal reminder of priorities.
The May 1996 Turning Wheels is dedicated to the memory of Ron Hall. The feature "article" in that issue consists of 14(!) pages of memories of Ron Hall submitted by various SDC members. Those who never met Ron would be advised to have a box of Kleenex at the ready if you read those remembrances.
SDC members pitched in following Ron Hall's passing and established a trust fund for his children's education. Resident SDC lawyer and Ron's good friend, SDC Publications Director Larry Swanson, set up the trust fund. To avoid conflict of interest, it was administered by another of Ron's long-time friends, my cousin George Krem. I'd have to check with George, but I believe the fund has been depleted and will be closed out upon daughter Laura's college graduation.
I knew Ron Hall personally for 26 years, having met him when he was 20 years old and I was 24! When he started his quest for 200 mph at Bonneville in a Studebaker-powered Studebaker, I said I'd kick in $100 per year until the goal was met. After about the fourth year, I gave him an annual check at South Bend inside Newman-Altman one day and encouraged him to maybe step up the progress toward the goal if he could! We got a good laugh out of it. I doubt I've ever met a man who could laugh at himself as heartily as could Ron Hall. A great friend and Studebaker enthusiast, to be sure. BPWe've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.
G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.
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Bob's right....the last of the funds in the Ron Hall Memorial College Trust were paid out this fall for Laura Hall's college education at Anderson University in Indiana. The fund is now closed, and Laura plans to graduate this spring. Luanne reports that Laura is "doing so very well."
Luke Hall is now out of the service and back in Michigan. He will take advantage of assistance from the military for his education. A couple of years ago, Luanne told me that Marc hates school. Her comment was "I hope he graduates before we kill each other." A more recent impression is that he is doing better.
Ron purchased the Avanti he used at Bonneville from a person in Arizona. That person (who was rather eccentric and shall remain nameless) picked Ron up at the airport when Ron flew in to buy the Avanti. They were in the guy's GT Hawk, waiting at a stoplight when a lady in the car next to them enthusiastically called out "What a beautiful car...why don't they still make them?" The guy snarled "Because people like you didn't buy enough of them." Whereupon the light turned green and the Hawk sped off at full throttle. Ron was amused.
George
george kremgeorge krem
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