Life's journey is not to arrive safely at the grave in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy Cow... What a ride!"
Life Story
William Headley Hall of Blowing Rock passed away peacefully on Monday, December 2, 2024 at the age of 85. Bill was born January 10, 1939 in High Point, North Carolina. He was the only child of Oscar and Neta Hall. Bill was named after his grandfathers William Pleasant Gordon and Dennis Headley Hall.
Bill had a wonderful childhood growing up on a farm. He was surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins who lived near him on Gordon Road. He spent hours riding his horse Sugar and tending her and her colt Honey Bee. He played cowboys in the nearby woods with cousins and neighborhood friends. He loved Roy Rogers, dogs, train sets, race cars and go karts. Both of his parents worked in the furniture business in High Point, and as a boy Bill sold eggs from Oscar's chickens at the annual Furniture Market. High Rock Lake was a favorite destination during the summers, and Bill was an avid boater and water skier. His family traveled extensively, visiting interesting destinations such as New York City, Florida, Nassau and Cuba. These family trips fostered his lifelong love of exploration.
Bill’s early interest in engineering was encouraged by a close family friend, Leroy Briggs Sr. Mr. Briggs owned Briggs Manufacturing Company, which Bill described as a "vertical furniture manufacturing operation". Because Bill's mother Neta was the office manager and bookkeeper, Bill had the run of the place as a boy. Mr. Briggs took Bill on many trips to visit power plants and dams in western North Carolina. Over the years Bill talked about Mr. Briggs often, and said there was no one who had a greater influence on his life. In his late teens Bill got a job at the Greensboro-High Point Airport refueling jets. After graduating from Jamestown High School in 1957, Bill attended North Carolina State College to pursue a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. In 1960 he married his high school sweetheart Patricia Carroll. The couple settled into married student housing where they welcomed their first daughter.
After graduating from N.C. State College, the family moved to Hartsville, South Carolina where Bill began his first career working for Carolina Power & Light Company. During his twelve year career with CP&L, the family moved several times within North Carolina and welcomed another daughter and a son.
In 1974 Bill ended his career with CP&L, having served as plant manager of the H.F. Lee Power Plant in Goldsboro for the final four years. The family moved to Charlotte where Bill began his second career as a sales engineer with Heyward Inc. During this time Bill and Pat traveled for sales meetings and pleasure throughout the United States and Europe. While living in Charlotte and working full time, Bill obtained his Master of Business Administration from UNC Charlotte.
Bill's interest in real estate began in the mid-1970s when he joined his parents to transform Oscar's Inc. into a holding company for property development and management. 30 rental houses across the farm's 16 acres were built over the next 25 years. Oscar's Inc. owned a furniture manufacturing company called Hawk's Upholstery, which was transformed into a small shopping mall. Bill was the architect, contractor and project manager for all of these properties.
After 20 years Bill retired from Heyward Inc., and in 1995 he and Pat moved to Blowing Rock. Bill began another career in Commercial Real Estate earning the designation of CCIM. Pat passed away in 1996. Following the loss of his high school sweetheart, Bill had the great fortune of meeting Marianne Crumpler.
In 1999 Bill and Marianne married and began another chapter of life together. They established themselves as engaged members of the Blowing Rock community, buying and developing property such as the Village Grove. Bill partnered with Marianne to create a store of English antiques, assisting with travel, bookkeeping and brute strength. Bill served on the Blowing Rock Chamber Board a number of years and was President in 2007. He was involved in the economic development efforts of Blowing Rock during his board tenure. He was actively involved at Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church during that time serving on the Session and Properties Committee.
Bill was a “founding father” of the Middle Fork Greenway and was instrumental in moving that concept forward to become a reality. He helped review engineering ideas and aided in the purchase of property and easements for the proposed trails.
Bill continued to enjoy traveling by air, by train, by motorcycle and with his Air Stream camper affectionately called “Bambi”. He and Marianne enjoyed trips all over the U.S., especially with family members and friends. He fulfilled his 35 year quest of traveling to all 50 states just a few years before his passing. Bill and Marianne visited Ireland, Scotland, England and Nova Scotia.
Bill was a genuine friend to many and made considerable efforts to maintain those friendships over the years. Most years he wrote an annual Christmas letter keeping his nearest and dearest abreast of his family and their activities.
He was a generous, kind soul who remarked many times over the years that he had been given a very blessed life. Those of us who knew and loved him are saddened by his absence but were indeed blessed by his presence. As many have remarked, we lost a good one.
Bill is survived by his wife Marianne, daughter Holly Pritchard and husband Charley of Luling, Texas, daughter Laurie McDowell and husband John of Morehead City, daughter-in-law Kathy Hall of Hillsboro, Oregon and stepdaughter Catherine Scantlin of Boone. He is also survived by his grandchildren William Ian McDowell, Connor McDowell, Emily Rose Hall and Grace Scantlin, and his beloved beagle Sally Bee. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife Pat and his son William David Hall.
A service of remembrance will be scheduled in Blowing Rock at a later time. For those who wish to honor Bill, a donation to the Middle Fork Greenway, 416 Aho Road, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 would help further his efforts. https://www.middleforkgreenway.org/donate
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