Dennis “Denny” “Big D” L. Hall , 73, of Columbus, passed away March 25, 1993, at Columbus Community Hospital surrounded by his family after a seven-year battle with cancer.
He was born Jan. 19, 1950, in York, to Howard and Florence (Due) Hall. He married Cheryl Mead on Sept. 4, 1970. Together they had two sons, Greg and Cory.
He grew up in Exeter and was baptized and confirmed at the Methodist Church in Exeter. In high school, he participated in basketball, football and state track. He attended Kearney State College, the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and the University of Nebraska – Omaha, studying pharmacy, graduating in 1973. He started Hall’s Pharmacy with his brother, Kent, in Geneva in 1973. In 1976, Dennis and Kent sold the pharmacy and moved to Columbus to open the McDonald’s restaurant with their father. During his McDonald’s career, Dennis held several leadership positions and served on many boards. The McDonald’s franchise has now grown to 13 restaurants in central and eastern Nebraska.
Dennis loved golfing, fishing, hunting, playing Keno and especially Husker football. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, traveling, eating good food at nice restaurants and hosting tailgate parties at Nebraska football games. He was known at the Husker House as the “bar monitor,” welcoming first-time patrons to the restaurant, recommending what to eat, and helping to organize where people should sit around the bar.
Family gatherings on Thanksgiving and Christmas were very special to Dennis, who liked to follow several family traditions every holiday. You could often find Dennis driving around every morning in his Suburban with his morning cup of coffee and was well known for leading the YMCA dance at many weddings.
Dennis was preceded in death by his brother, Kent; parents, Howard and Florence Hall; and father-in-law, Bob Mead. He is survived by his wife, Cheryl; sons, Greg (Kristel) and Cory (Karri); grandchildren, Hunter, Dillon, Emily, Alex and Jenna; sister, Sylvia (Barry) Murphy of Exeter; sister-in-law, Phyllis Hall of Norfolk; mother-in-law, Darlene Mead of Friend; brother-in-law, Terry Mead of Lincoln; sister-in-law, Deb (Larry) Filipi of Milligan; and sister-in-law Linda (Bruce) Pankoke of Beaver Crossing.
Visitation will be Thursday, March 30, from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church and Friday, March 31, from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. at the church. The service will be at the church Friday, March 31, beginning at 2 p.m. The family requests that people attending the funeral wear red or Husker attire. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Omaha. Arrangements by Mckown Funeral Home, Columbus.
