Kenneth G. "Ken" Hall

Kenneth G. “Ken” Hall, age 81, of Dover, passed away at home Wednesday, February 10, 2021.

Born December 11, 1939, in West Lafayette, he was a son of the late Harold and Nell Cochran Hall. Ken came from a very musical family; his mother was an accomplished pianist who taught music and played for silent pictures, his father was a very good vocalist - a tenor who could not read music, and his sisters played various instruments that included the clarinet, saxophone, piano and drums. Ken himself began piano lessons at the age of five. He graduated from West Lafayette High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree and then his master’s degree in music education. Additionally, Ken played the trumpet throughout high school and college. He taught in the Dover City Schools for 31 years, and was the high school choir director. The last ten years of his career were spent in elementary education, which he very much enjoyed. Ken played the organ for a number of different churches, and was the chancel choir director for churches in Steubenville, Cambridge, Dover and Wheeling. He directed barbershop choruses in Coshocton, Cambridge and Dover, and was a member of the Dover quartet, Nobody’s Choice. Ken also played keyboards for bands such as Harmony and Santos. He was honored on one occasion to be the accompanist for Joe Feeney of The Lawrence Welk Show. Ken arranged music for Rebecca Ann King, a former student, who went on as Miss Colorado to become Miss America in 1975. He was also vocal coach and advisor for Mary Williams who recorded under the name of Vesta Williams.

Ken was a member of the First United Church of Christ on New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas Lodge No. 59 F.& A.M., Dover, and the Coshocton Order of the Eastern Star. He was a life member of the New Philadelphia Elks Lodge, the American Choral Directors Association and the Dover Historical Society.

Ken had a very special relationship with all of his grandchildren and cherished the time that they spent together. Aside from family and music, Ken was fond of gardening and travel.

He will be dearly missed by his loving wife, Sandra Lapp Hall, whom he married on November 5, 1977; his children, Greg (Carrie Hinkle) and Tammy Hall and Margo (Chris) Peerenboom, all of Columbus, Debbie (Keith) Bowman of Coshocton, and Kathy (Shane) Stanton of Massillon; his grandchildren, Lindsie (Brad) Holton, Logan and Peyton Stipes, Abbie and Brennan Bowman, Hodding, Audrey and Greer Hall, Corbin Wright, Taylor and Spencer Stanton; his great-grandchildren, Pyper and Waylon Stypes, and Sam and Andy Holton.

Besides his parents, Ken was preceded in death by his son, Terry Wright; his grandson, Conor Wright; and his siblings, Lois Petersen, Harriet Adams, Roberta Buker and Harold Hall.

A memorial service is being planned later, when it is once again safe to gather, and will be announced. To sign an online guestbook and share a fond memory of Ken, please visit the Obituaries link on the Toland-Herzig website.

The family suggests that contributions in Ken’s memory be made to the First United Church of Christ, 201 Fair Ave. N.W., or Community Hospice, 716 Commercial Ave. N.W., both addresses at New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.