James "Pete" Earl Hall

James Earl “Pete” Hall was born December 10, 1948, in Homer, Louisiana.  He was the oldest of eleven children born to Thomas “T.J.” Hall, Jr. and Lillie Mae Brim Hall.  He passed on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at University of Texas Health Science Center in Tyler, Texas.

Pete began his elementary education in Los Angeles, California, and later attended Watson Elementary and Booker T. Washington High schools in El Dorado,  Arkansas.  He was well known for his skills on the Mighty Hornets football team.  His teammates gave him the nickname “Hoghead” because of his many tackles and interceptions on the field.  In 1965, he made the All-Star Team as a Defensive Lineman.

Pete had a natural affinity and inclination toward machinery.  At 13 years old, he was already rebuilding car engines for friends and neighbors.  In 1965, under the direction of Mr. Roy Butler and with Pete as Team Leader, his high school auto mechanics class won first place at the Chrysler competition in Detroit, Michigan for building a Dodge Charger engine.  After high school, Pete commenced his first job at El Dorado Foundry.

In August 1967, Pete was united in marriage to Anna Smith of El Dorado.  To this union were born sons Anthony J. Hall and Jhayson A. Hall, currently of Atlanta, GA and Altadena, CA ,respectively.  In 1969, they relocated to Los Angeles where Pete was employed by ABM Industries and Glendale Unified School District in Janitorial Services, and by Sun Valley as a Sandblaster.  Upon returning to El Dorado, he was a managing partner at The Green Onion Bar & Grill (aka Anybody’s Club) in El Dorado’s Douglas community; owner of The Dew Drop Inn BBQ Restaurant, and security at The Continental Club, both located in El Dorado’s St. Louis community. 

In July 2001, Pete was united in marriage to Hattie Freeman Brannon of El Dorado.  They relocated to Kilgore, Texas.  He enjoyed cooking, grilling, fishing, traveling and spending time with his family.

Pete was preceded in death by his mother, three siblings:  Linda Lou “Bootsie” Hall, Johnny Ray Hall, and Nathaniel Hall; and daughter-in-law Charlotte Cole-Hall (Anthony).  He is survived by his father T.J. of El Dorado; sons, Anthony and Jhayson; three step-children:  Kimberly Henderson (Kenneth), Shajuanna Fries, and Andre Welch (Linda), all of Kilgore; seven grandchildren: NáTavia Chyenne Hall of Ft. Worth, TX, Anthony Hall, Jr. of Reno, NV, Devaun Fulton Hall of Altadena, Jordan Hall of Sparks, NV, Channing Hall and Cortlandt Cole of Atlanta, and Chelsea Cole of Warren, AR; eight great-grandchildren; seven siblings:  Bettye Osborne (Floyd), Mary Diane Aubrey (Henry), and Charles Hall, all of Diamond Bar, CA, Carolyn Tatum (Jay) and Nigra Felecia Ross (Steve), both of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Mary Jeanette “Jeanie” Hawkins (Ricky) of La Verne, CA, Michael LeDoux (Patresa) of Fontana, CA, and a host of nephews, nieces, extended family, and friends.

Funeral Service Saturday, August 8, 2020, at 11:00 a.m.at Victory Church. Interment will be at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery under the direction of Sims Mortuary. Sign the guestbook at www.simsmortuary.com