Gary Eugene Hall

Dr. Gary Eugene Hall, beloved husband, father, and grandfather passed away on August 4, 2025 at the age of 90. He lived life with curiosity, grit, and boundless heart. He could literally talk to anyone, fix anything, and didn’t believe in instruction manuals.

Gary was a true hands-on kind of guy. Building, tinkering, repairing, he found joy in using his tools, his mind, and often a generous amount of Gougeon Epoxy. He could rig, restore, or reinvent just about anything.

His natural talents extended into a remarkable professional life. Gary practiced dentistry for over 50 years, growing a one-man office into a thriving eight-dentist practice. He invented and patented the Duoceph, a device used to stabilize patients heads during x-rays. Gary also shared his orthodontic expertise through lectures all over the country with the United States Dental Institute, of which he was an owner.

Gary proudly served in the US Army, where he drove an ambulance in the Korean War. He was deeply rooted in his community often volunteering his dental services, mentoring young professionals, and offering quiet support to local causes. He was also a longtime member of the Plymouth Jaycees.

A natural storyteller, Gary could strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. His welcoming spirit made people feel at ease instantly; and he never said an unkind word about anyone. His garage was legendary. It was filled with tools, projects and the smell of cigar smoke. It was also the unofficial holiday workshop, where Gary and his sons and sons-in-law “assembled” Christmas gifts for the grandkids late into the night. More beer was consumed than actual progress made, and there was always more laughing than working. It became a cherished tradition with tools scattered, instructions ignored, and Gary at the center of it all, cracking jokes and solving the world’s problems.

An adventurer at heart, Gary was a passionate sailor who competed in countless races, including the Mackinac Races both solo and with a crew. One of his greatest adventures was crossing the Atlantic Ocean with his sons. He loved riding motorcycles, especially Harley Davidsons and Ducatis. And at home, he delighted in driving his John Deere tractor, earning him the nickname “Papa Tractor” from his grandchildren.

Above all, Gary was a family man. He was generous and fiercely loyal. If you were loved by him, you didn’t have to wonder because you felt it every day. His generosity and devotion were unmistakable.  Gary was the kind of man you never forget. He was larger than life, endlessly generous and wonderfully original. If you knew Gary, chances are you heard The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald playing at full volume at some point. That song, like Gary, tells a wonderful story.

His presence filled every room and his absence will leave a large void. But death doesn’t leave with the best part of him because his legacy lives on in every story told and every person he helped.  Gary was truly one-of-a-kind.

In the days following Gary’s passing, his family discovered a note he had quietly left behind; those words referenced a poem, one that captured the way he hoped to be remembered. Gary did not speak often about legacy, but lived his values every day with humility, kindness, and unwavering love for others. In his own quiet way he asked that Leigh Hunt’s poem, Abou Ben Adhem be shared upon his passing:

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)

Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,

And saw, within the moonlight in his room,

Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,

An angel writing in a book of gold-

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,

And to the presence in the room he said

“What writest thou?”-The vision raised its head,

And with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answered, “The names of those who love the Lord.”

“And is mine one?” said Abou. “Nay, not so,”

Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,

But cheerily still, and said, “I pray thee then,

Write me as one that loves his fellow men.”

The angel wrote, and vanished. 

The next night 

It came again with a great awakening light,

And showed the names whom love of God had had blessed,

And lo? Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.

Much like Ben Adhem, Gary’s name will lead all the rest.

Gary is survived by his beloved wife, Marcy, his children, Lorelei Hall, Barton (Kelly) Hall, Matthew (Stacie) Hall, Michelle (Todd) Anthes and Jennifer (Michael) Nagy; as well as his grandchildren, Maxmilian Anthes, Gavin Hall, Madison Hall, Lillian Anthes, Jacob Hall, Ella Hall, Lucy Nagy and Cooper Nagy.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Carol Hall, his parents, Hulbert and Bessie Hall, his sister Betty (Tom) Law; and his brother, Hulbert Hall.

In keeping with Gary’s wishes, there will be no funeral. A celebration of life will be planned at a later date.