PROMINENT Wauchope resident, Clerk of the Court, humorist, marriage celebrant and soccer fanatic Greg Hall was farewelled last week in a fittingly light-hearted ceremony at Innes Gardens Memorial Park.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Born Gregory John Hall on March 22, 1950, Greg, of Bain Place, Bonny Hills and previously of Ellenborough Close, Wauchope, passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side on the morning of July 18, 2014.
Greg had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma at the end of 2010. He underwent extensive treatments locally and in Sydney's Prince of Wales Hospital and continued to fight the condition with enduring optimism and his renowned sense of humour.
Greg was the son of Mary Hall, loving husband of Lyn Hall, brother of Denise Stanton-Cook, proud father of Nathan, Sarah and Russell and even prouder Poppy of Abigail, Jacob, Rosemaree and Zachary.
Greg was well known in the local community for his love of Soccer. This involved him being a player for the Wauchope club, coaching at local and representative levels as well as being an administrator for the Northern NSW Football Association.
As a marriage celebrant he also spent many weekends marrying couples throughout the district. This was usually followed by naming their children in civil ceremonies and sometimes down the track officiating at their weddings too.
During the eulogy they delivered at the funeral ceremony, his children Nathan, Sarah and Russell made the following observations about their father:
"Right now our dad is telling a joke somewhere in heaven ... and it will start something like this: Did I ever tell you the one about ...
"While this is a sad occasion, we want you to remember the humorous way that Greg - our dad and your friend - dealt with life's ups and downs.
"Gregory John Hall was born on 22nd March 1950 at Leichhardt. His parents were Kevin and Mary Hall - Mary lives at Port Macquarie.
"On 24 January 1968 Greg joined the Petty Sessions Branch of the Attorney General and Justice Department. His first appointment was at the Children's Court in Sydney.
"Greg meet Lyn in 1968 in Sydney and they started courting. They married in the Garrison Church at the Rocks in 1973 and after some relief work in the country the newlyweds made the brave decision to move to Maclean, where they had their first child Nathan in 1975.
"They then moved to Wauchope in 1978 where he worked in the district for more than 25 years. Their second child Sarah was born in Port in 1978 and they accidentally had their third child, Russell, in 1980.
"After 26 years in Wauchope and now being 'empty nesters', Greg and Lyn moved to Bonny Hills for a sea-change and were always welcoming when the kids and grandkids, Abigail, Jacob, Rosemaree and Zachary visited.
"During these visits Greg often joked about keeping a running tab of all the damage that was caused and he would be sending them the bill when they left.
"His love of football stemmed from growing up in Five Dock. It meant that he soon found the round ball game enticing and ended up playing locally before being paid to play, which was only just enough to pay for Lyn's entry fee ... At the time his biggest asset wasn't his left foot but the fact that Hall was the easiest name to spell on the team sheet!
"This led to Greg's wanting to pass on his love of the game in both Maclean and Wauchope, where he coached age groups from under 6s through to the First Grade sides. He also was a key administrator for Wauchope and the Hastings District and was a Board Member for the Northern NSW Football Association.
"But Greg's hobbies meant that they were also Lyn's hobbies and so it was that a usual weekend started with junior games in the morning, followed by senior football in the afternoon, with Lyn working the canteen, football in Newcastle on Sundays, followed by the shirts being washed during the week ready to do it all again the following weekend.
"The family don't want this to be a sad occasion, but an occasion where we can all remember the humorous ways that Greg dealt with life's ups and downs. Even to his last days Greg kept many a doctor and nurse amused as they did their rounds at the hospital - much to the embarrassment of Lyn and the kids. But they wouldn't have wanted it any other way."
The service celebrating the life of Greg Hall ended with the song, "Always look on the bright side of life".
