St. George, Utah - James Howard Hall, (also known by few as Daddy, Grandpa, and a few more as Uncle Bud, Bud, Howard and Jim) passed away on January 1, 2017 in St George, Utah. James Howard Hall was born April 4, 1920 in Tulsa, Oklahoma and moved to Southern California when he was three. After moving to California, the family lived in Huntington Park where he attended grammar school and high school. Grandpa met Grandma (Dorothy M Hall) in grade school and they remained friends until they started officially dating later in high school. They were married on June 25, 1941 and remained married until their passing.

Grandpa entered the armed forces in October, 1942. He was in the 86th Fighter Wing in the United States Army and made it through six campaigns earning six campaign ribbons two year strips, three year stripes, six brown stars and two silver stars. Grandpa rarely talked about his military experience; however, he loved to tell the grandchildren the story about his squadron being the first to raise the flag in Japan. As grandpa tells the story, they had to take the flag down because General MacArthur was supposed to be the first to raise the flag, so they took down the one they had raised and hid it in the wheel well of the squadron plane then raised a second flag when the General arrived. Grandpa was honorably discharged at the end of World War II.

Grandpa came home to southern California to a loving wife and his son, Gary Russell Hall. His daughter, Carolyn Jean Hall (CJ), was born in February, 1947. Grandpa started his own construction company with a friend, Hall and Rocket, they built and rebuilt many of the schools and missions in southern California. Grandpa retired at 55 and moved to Blythe, California, then to Idaho and finally moved to St George, Utah in 1992. Not long after this, the immediate family all reunited here in St George. During this time, the family created many wonderful relationships and memories.

At every step along way, no matter where Grandpa lived or worked, he spent his time helping neighbors and family with small and large construction projects. You could always find him helping someone with concrete, tile, building cabinets, remodeling houses and even making furniture. He taught his great grandchildren how to count by asking them to bring him 5 nails, one on each finger. He rebuilt his daughter's home, and his granddaughter's cabinets, bathrooms, floors, and outside patios etc. The projects just kept going until he was 82 years old. We are all so grateful to have so much time with him and will always remember his "structured" way of completing every task he completed. We will all be forever grateful for the love we shared, memories, and all time we had with him.

He is survived by his sister, Ann Butler; son, Gary Russell Hall; daughter, CJ Lee; grandchildren: William Russell "Bill" (Misty) and Lorraine Marie "Lorri" (Neil) Economy; and great –grandchildren: Joshua James Harris and Tucker Klatt (Jacob Thomas Klatt).

Graveside services will be held Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the St. George City Cemetery, St. George, Utah. A visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m. at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 West St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah.