'He was like a foundation within himself': Businessman Larry Hall known for community work

Gary Galbraith, who first met Larry Mac Hall through business before a friendship that surpassed 30 years developed, boiled Hall's generosity to a single thought.

"He was like a foundation within himself," Galbraith said Thursday.

Hall, whose name is synonymous with the Big Country automobile industry and community event sponsorship, died Monday. He had battled lyposarcoma since being diagnosed in July 2018.

He was 69.

A funeral service is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church.

A visitation is scheduled from 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday at Wylie Baptist Church, 6097 Buffalo Gap Road.

Galbraith, who has a long history of working with the Taylor County Expo Center, said Hall always answered with a yes when asked to help. For example, with the parade that is part of the annual West Texas Fair & Rodeo. That goes back to the 1990s.

And then in 2011, an Expo Center fundraiser was launched - "Evening For the Expo Center."

Galbraith said Hall could help financially and wanted to, but not for recognition.

"He was just Larry," Galbraith said.

"I could talk about Larry all day long. He was one of a kind. He will be missed."

Abilene, and beyond

In 1989, Hall and his brother, Mitch, acquired Larry Rigby Chevrolet Mazda to launch their Abilene presence.

Galbraith remembered driving Hall around the open land around Abilene. Hall wanted to build a home, eventually settling on property between Abilene and Potosi, Galbraith said. He named his spread Silverado.

In 1991, the Mazda operation was moved to facilities in the 1300 block of South Clack Street.

Their parents, Lawrence Mitchell and Myrl Hall bought the Chevrolet dealership in Anson in 1956, operating it as Lawrence Hall Chevrolet in Anson. Larry Hall was 4 at the time of acquisition, and worked with his father to grow the enterprise.

Lawrence Mitchell Hall died Feb. 14, 1993.

The brothers eventually purchased other dealerships in the Abilene area. A 2007 Reporter-News story said the Lawrence Hall Auto Group then numbered 13 franchises.

A family business that once employed 15 grew to at least 200 over the years.

Family friend Bill Beam said he and Hall would talk during family trips together. When Beam asked how business was going, he said Hall would answer that while it looked good from the outside, "I worry about making a wrong decision that would impact the jobs of the 200 people who keep this thing rolling."

When he retired after 26 years as general manager in 2015, David Gist said, "The Halls have treated me more like family. It never seemed to me like I really had a boss. That’s a nice way to end a career.”

In 2008, Lawrence Hall dealership in Abilene earned the Corporate Star Award from the Abilene Chamber of Commerce.

Larry Hall served as district director for the Texas Automobile Dealers Association in 2010 for its western division. He was division vice chairman from 2011-16.

In addition to Chevrolet and Mazda vehicles, the Halls sold Cadillacs, Buicks, GMCs, Fords, Lincolns and Volkswagens.

In June 2006, Lawrence Hall Abilene purchased Buick, Pontiac and GMC franchises from a dealership operated by Ray Sisneros since 1997.

''It's been a privilege to serve Abilene and the Big Country for over 50 years ... it's our goal and our commitment to continue that tradition with our new franchise lines," Larry Hall told the Reporter-News at the time.

It was more than business for the man at the head of the Hall auto empire, said Gary Grubbs, marketing-advertising manager.

“People that knew Larry - friends, church friends, customers and many others - knew what an enormously big heart Larry had," Grubbs said. "He always looked for those that were ‘underdogs’ or needed a helping hand, whether fixing their home, providing food or even helping with unexpected medical or dental needs.

"The legacy he leaves in Abilene and to everyone is based on his huge heart.”

Daughter Michele Hall Newcomb said her dad taught her that in "anything you do, you are always setting an example for someone."

Big Country boy

Hall was born in 1952 at Anson and graduated from Anson High School in 1971. He went first to Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State) and then returned to this area to attend McMurry University.

Hall married Sydney Shea Woodard on May 29, 2011.

He was a 25-year member of Wylie Baptist and participated in the annual Living Christmas Tree project by the church.

Beam, an appraiser with Western Valuation and Consulting, first met Hall in 1995. Their families then attended Wylie Baptist.

"He was a breath of fresh air," said Beam, adding their families took participated in stock shows together and took vacations in RVs.

One favorite destination was Ruidoso, New Mexico. Beam's twin girls, then about 3, loved those trips and asked about the next trip to "Larrydoso." That showed how the kids also gravitated to Hall, he said.

Once, the two drove to see land Hall had acquired and was having cleared near Lawn. Hall talked to the men doing the work and asked them to do one more thing. Before leaving, he gave them each a box containing a Hall Chevrolet pocket knife.

One worker opened his box to find money and told Hall he made a mistake.

No, Hall said. That was intentional. Thanks for the hard work and take your family out to eat or to the movies, Beam recounted.

That was how unpretentious Hall was, Beam said. He wanted to come across as the boss.

One "boss" thing Hall did was make fireworks an event.

He had fireworks celebrations at Silverado on July 4, and this year, Beam said, sponsored the show at the Abilene Country Club.

Expo Center hero

Galbraith told Hall's wife, Shea, that he admired and respected no one more than Hall for being generous.

"When he told you he would to it, he meant it. When he told you he'd do it, he'd do it right then," Galbraith said.

Hall supported numerous Abilene institutions, organizations and events, including those at the Expo Center, held by the Abilene and Wylie school districts, chamber of commerce, West Texas Rehabilitation Center and Dyess Air Force Base.

In a 2007 story in the Reporter-News, Mitch Hall said, "'We do these things in all of the communities, and that makes us what we are. Twenty-five years ago we were doing things for Anson. Now we do these things for all of the towns in our trade area, and it grows every year.''

His brother operated with the same notion of community service.

Galbraith said the Hall name clearly was visible at Expo Center events, but Hall also "quietly did so many things no one knew about."

Rochelle Johnson, general manager of the Expo Center since 2009, said another description of Hall quickly comes to mind: Humble.

She recalled that during the 1996 fair, sponsors received badges designed like belt buckles to wear.

She came across Hall, who was delighted to have received his badge. She was struck by his appreciation of a little gift for giving so much.

"He was never someone who needed to be out front," she said. Larry and Shea Hall would slip into the site of the yearly fundraiser "to see how it was decorated."

Then slip out.

"They never were in it for the public recognition," she said.

Hall also sponsored Abilene Spectacular and Winter Circuit cutting horse events at the Expo Center.

And when the competition stiffened to keep the state high school rodeo here, Hall contacted her to pledge his support.

Even if a major event sponsor was auto competitor Dodge-Ram, she said.

"That's the kind of man he was," Johnson said. "Generous. Kind. Humble."

Like Galbraith, she called him "one of a kind."

Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Hall, 69, carried forth family business, known for community efforts