Joe Bill Hall

Joe Bill Hall, M.D., 84, a resident of Viney Grove, Ark., died Sept. 4, 2010. He was born Nov. 4, 1925, in Checotah, Okla., to Fletcher and Grace Futrell Hall. He enjoyed family, farming, gardening, church functions, and the Arkansas Country Doctor Museum. He was known as "Dad," "Daddy," "Granddaddy," "Daddy Joe," "old Doc Hall," "Joe B," "Dr. Joe," "the good-looking Dr. Hall," and many others, we are sure. He graduated from Shattuck Military High School in Faribault, Minn., and attended the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. He graduated medical school from Washington University in St. Louis, 1948, completed residencies at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, 1950, and Duke University in South Carolina, 1956. He served as a captain in the U.S. Army from 1953-1955. He and his wife, Pat, returned to N.W. Arkansas to raise their family in 1957. He founded the Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic on Lollar Lane in 1957. He received the Robert S. Abernathy Award for Excellence in Internal Medicine and the James Dennis, M.D. Award from the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences. He received the Eagle Award in 1995 for outstanding contributions to the improvement of health care in N.W. Arkansas, and the Asklepion Award in 2007 in recognition of leadership, excellence and integrity to the medical profession and the improvement of patient care, given by the Arkansas Medical Society. Dr. Hall served as chief of staff at Washington Regional and Fayetteville City Hospitals where he also served on the Board of Governors. He served as president and secretary of the Washington County Medical Society and served as governor of the Arkansas Chapter of the American College of Physicians from 1983-1986. He was first named a diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1957. Dr. Hall was a Fellow in the American College of Physicians, Fellow in the American College of Chest Physicians, member of the American College of Nuclear Physicians, American Society of Internal Medicine, Washington County Medical Society, Arkansas Medical Society, and the American Medical Association. Dr. Hall played a significant role in the beginning of several departments at Washington Regional Medical Center such as physical therapy, medical records, laboratory, home health, and nuclear medicine. He was instrumental in establishing an LPN school in 1958 and through his efforts as chairman of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce Health Industries Committee in 1968-69, he helped establish the associates degree in nursing program at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He was instrumental in helping bring modern scientific medicine to N.W. Arkansas. He brought in doctors and equipment that moved the integrity of medicine in this region forward, while retaining a personal commitment, heartfelt compassion and a deep integrity toward his patients that was a staple of the country doctor. He moved from the Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic to Lincoln in 1991 to practice medicine with his son Ben, and retired from practicing medicine in 1997. He was the Washington County Historical Society's Man of the Year in 2006. He was instrumental in establishing: the Country Doctor Museum in Lincoln, the PAL after school program in Prairie Grove, and the Lincoln High School internship program. He was a member of Central United Methodist Church, Fayetteville, for many years serving on the Board of Trustees on several occasions. He taught Sunday school and sponsored youth groups for many years. He was most recently a member of the Prairie Grove 1st United Methodist Church where he continued to be active in Sunday school until his death. He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Patsy Hall on June 8, 2007, and a grandson, Canyon Fletcher Hall, April 22, 1996. He is survived by six children: four sons, Fletcher Hall and wife Teresa of Viney Grove, Ben Hall and wife Cathy of Viney Grove, Pal Joe Hall and wife Kathy of Viney Grove, Patrick and wife Kristine of Viney Grove; two daughters, Gigi Moore and husband Rager of the home, and Lissa Halbert and her husband Steve of Prairie Grove; 21 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren (and three more buns in the oven); one sister, Bonnie Jennings of Muskogee, Okla.; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He was known for his honesty, integrity, commitment and compassion, as well as his infamous Christmas gifts! In lieu of flowers please send memorials to the Patsy and Joe B. Hall Memorial fund, Arkansas Country Doctor Museum, P.O. box 1004, Lincoln, Ark., 72744. A memorial service will be held Friday, Sept. 10, 2010 - 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Prairie Grove, Ark., with a reception following at the 1st United Methodist Church of Prairie Grove. Arrangements are under the direction of the Luginbuel Funeral Home of Prairie Grove, Ark. The complete obituary may be viewed on the Luginbuel web page. To sign the online guest book, visit www.luginbuel.com.