Melvin "Shorty" Hall

Melvin "Shorty" Hall, age 88, of Watertown, South Dakota passed away November 25, 2007 in Watertown.

Funeral services were 10:30 a.m. Thursday, November 29, 2007 at Grace Lutheran Church in Watertown with Pastor Steve Lauricella officiating. Marcia Jelsma was the organist with Judy Everson as soloist.

Interment took place in Mt. Hope Cemetery with military honors conducted by Codington County American Legion Post 17.

Casketbearers were Larry Picht, Keith Stroup, Don Ragles, Gary Veeder and Wayne Becking.

Melvin Bartlett Hall, better known as "Shorty" to his many friends, was born March 2, 1919 to Avery and Edna (Hagwood) Hall in White Owl, South Dakota. He grew up near Peoria, Illinois, attended school in Hope Dale Illinois and graduated from Hope Dale High School. He farmed near Galesburg, Illinois for 14 years before entering the Army Air Corp on December 22, 1941. Shorty served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre as a flight engineer on B-17 bombers. In 1944, he was transferred to Watertown, South Dakota to train on B-29 bombers which were pressurized and flew at a much higher altitude of 30,000 feet. He met Betty Jean Vetter in 1944 and they were married on July 8, 1945 in Watertown. After his discharge on November 6, 1945, Shorty worked for Beier Chevrolet and Sander Chevrolet where he had been parts manager, service manager and sales manager. Shorty later worked at Brekke Chevrolet in Clark for six years before becoming the Warranty Consultant at Sharp Chevrolet and then retired in 1988.

Shorty enjoyed hunting, gardening, dancing, cooking and spending time visiting with his many friends.

He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church and Codington County American Legion Post 17.

Shorty Hall passed away on November 25, 2007 in Watertown, South Dakota, at the age of 88.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Betty; four sisters, Charlotte, Violet, Eva and Eugenia; and one brother, Charlie.

He is survived by one daughter, Judy Ronke of Creve Coeur, IL; one son, Jim and his wife, Donna Hall of McCook, NE; one sister, Kay Horst of Cheyenne, WY; five grandchildren; three step grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and six step great-grandchildren; and constant companion, Phyllis Gillies of Watertown, SD.

Annoucement courtesy of Carpenter Breland Funeral Home.