- Born on: June 16, 1922
- Departed on: February 21, 2016
- Resided in: Urbandale, IA
William Hall
William Delaney Hall died February 21, 2016, at the Deerfield Retirement Community in Urbandale IA. He was born June 16, 1922, in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Thomas Newton and Ethel Delaney Hall. Before moving to the Deerfield Retirement Community in Urbandale, Iowa, in 2008, he and his wife, Barbara, had been residents of Batavia, Illinois, for most of the previous 45 years.
Bill grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. After graduating from Central High School in 1939 and then Kansas City Junior College, he attended the University of Illinois where he was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi. In February 1943, he entered the military service, serving in the Army Air Force during World War II. After his separation from the service in early 1946, he returned to the University of Illinois where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1947 and his master’s in accountancy in 1948.
On May 4, 1957, Bill married Barbara, daughter of James and Marian Hartman Doane, in the New England Congregational Church in Aurora, Illinois. He is survived by his daughter Laurie Elizabeth (Joel) Smallwood of Eugene, Oregon; son Thomas Doane Hall of Batavia, Illinois; son James Alexander (Mary) Hall of Minnetonka, Minnesota; and son Andrew Delaney (Julie) Hall of Des Moines, Iowa. Other survivors include grandson Andrew R. and granddaughters Rachel, Isabel and Anna Hall of Minnetonka; granddaughter Marian and grandson Nicholas Hall of Des Moines; granddaughter Kristina Hoover of California; and great-granddaughter Alexa Laharty of Olympia, Washington. On January 25, 2013, Bill was preceded in death by Barbara, his beloved wife of more than 55 years.
Bill began work in the Chicago office of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm in the fall of 1948. Except for seventeen months from 1950 to 1952 when he was recalled by the Air Force during the Korean War, he spent the next 36 years with Arthur Andersen, ending as chairman of the firm’s worldwide committee on professional standards. Besides Chicago, Bill and his family spent six years in Detroit (1957 to 1963) and three years in London, England (1970 to 1973), where he served as Arthur Andersen’s accounting and audit practice director for Europe and South Africa. He chaired or was a member of a number of professional committees and was the author of many articles and three books.
During the 1970s Bill served as president of the Chicago Child Care Society. He was also a member of the board of the Friends of the Chicago Public Library. After his retirement in 1984, he became actively involved with the Batavia Historical Society, serving as treasurer and chairman of its long-range planning committee and, for over ten years, editing its quarterly publication, The Batavia Historian. He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Batavia.
Accompanied by their children whenever possible, he and Barbara traveled extensively, both in the United States and throughout the world. From 1981 to 1991 they spent time each year at their apartment in Wengen, Switzerland; this also served as a base for their travels throughout Europe and a place for their children to visit.
In accordance with Bill’s wishes, he has been cremated. At a date to be determined, his remains will be interred along with Barbara’s at the Batavia West Side Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be directed to the Batavia Historical Society, the Deerfield Foundation, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Bill grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. After graduating from Central High School in 1939 and then Kansas City Junior College, he attended the University of Illinois where he was a member of Alpha Sigma Phi. In February 1943, he entered the military service, serving in the Army Air Force during World War II. After his separation from the service in early 1946, he returned to the University of Illinois where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1947 and his master’s in accountancy in 1948.
On May 4, 1957, Bill married Barbara, daughter of James and Marian Hartman Doane, in the New England Congregational Church in Aurora, Illinois. He is survived by his daughter Laurie Elizabeth (Joel) Smallwood of Eugene, Oregon; son Thomas Doane Hall of Batavia, Illinois; son James Alexander (Mary) Hall of Minnetonka, Minnesota; and son Andrew Delaney (Julie) Hall of Des Moines, Iowa. Other survivors include grandson Andrew R. and granddaughters Rachel, Isabel and Anna Hall of Minnetonka; granddaughter Marian and grandson Nicholas Hall of Des Moines; granddaughter Kristina Hoover of California; and great-granddaughter Alexa Laharty of Olympia, Washington. On January 25, 2013, Bill was preceded in death by Barbara, his beloved wife of more than 55 years.
Bill began work in the Chicago office of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm in the fall of 1948. Except for seventeen months from 1950 to 1952 when he was recalled by the Air Force during the Korean War, he spent the next 36 years with Arthur Andersen, ending as chairman of the firm’s worldwide committee on professional standards. Besides Chicago, Bill and his family spent six years in Detroit (1957 to 1963) and three years in London, England (1970 to 1973), where he served as Arthur Andersen’s accounting and audit practice director for Europe and South Africa. He chaired or was a member of a number of professional committees and was the author of many articles and three books.
During the 1970s Bill served as president of the Chicago Child Care Society. He was also a member of the board of the Friends of the Chicago Public Library. After his retirement in 1984, he became actively involved with the Batavia Historical Society, serving as treasurer and chairman of its long-range planning committee and, for over ten years, editing its quarterly publication, The Batavia Historian. He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Batavia.
Accompanied by their children whenever possible, he and Barbara traveled extensively, both in the United States and throughout the world. From 1981 to 1991 they spent time each year at their apartment in Wengen, Switzerland; this also served as a base for their travels throughout Europe and a place for their children to visit.
In accordance with Bill’s wishes, he has been cremated. At a date to be determined, his remains will be interred along with Barbara’s at the Batavia West Side Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be directed to the Batavia Historical Society, the Deerfield Foundation, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
