Harold W. Wall

At 92, Harold “Hal” Wall waived goodbye to his adoring wife, Edna, grabbed his tackle box, & headed up-river to a place he knew the fishing was fine and angels waited on the dock to meet him with his beloved Mom & Dad (Andrew and Annie Lou).  His brothers & sisters (Thomas “Bo”, Grace, Evelyn, Lois, and Ray) are all there too with open arms to welcome him home.  Until they all meet again, Hal leaves behind his wife Edna of Niceville FL, sons Steve (Melissa) of Baker FL, Andy (Sherry) of Niceville FL, and Tad (Patty) of Miami FL; grandson Stephen Wall (Missy) of Alomagordo NM, granddaughter Heather “Hootie” Sadehvandi (Adam) of Midland MI, and granddaughter Stephanie Snook (Derek) of Ft. Worth TX; Amanda “Mandy” Wall; and Dylan Wall.  Dad was proud that his legacy would be carried on by his great grandchildren, Kelan and Mason Wall; Michael Bricault and Aiden and Rowan Sadehvandi; Maranda “Randy” Jones and Casandra “Sandy” Wall; Dominic “Dom” and Nolan Wall; and Sadie and Sophia Snook.                            

Born in the cotton mill town of Shawmut, AL, he left home at 17 to join the Navy and made it to the Philippines just as World War II ended.  In 1946, he returned home to finish high school where he was voted Valley High’s Most Handsome.  After graduation, he went to business school in Birmingham, then joined the Air Force in 1951.  While stationed at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery, he fell in love at first sight with Miss Edna Rehberg, a farmer’s daughter from Reno GA.  They married on May 11, 1952 and spent 66 blissful years together.  Two sons, Steve and Andy, were born at Maxwell AFB before the family transferred to Torrejόn AFB in Madrid, Spain.  His 24-year Air Force career included assignments to Homestead AFB FL, Stockholm Sweden where son Tad was born, Nellis AFB NV, Cam Ranh Bay Vietnam, Goodfellow AFB TX, Wheeler AFB HI, and his last stop at Eglin AFB FL where he retired as a Senior Master Sergeant in March 1975.  Following his military service, Hal continued to work as a civilian on Eglin AFB, managing the base Class 6 store until he finally retired in 1995.    

Hal and Edna loved to listen and dance to old-time country music.  They could Jitter-Bug like nobody’s business.  In fact, everything Hal decided to do, he did at the highest level.  He was an accomplished carpenter, talented athlete (football, baseball, bowling, horseshoes, and on and on), expert fisherman, and had a real knack and love for gardening; but beyond all his awards and accolades, he took the most pride in his greatest accomplishment, his family.                   

 

HAROLD WINGATE WALL

DAD’S FAREWELL ADDRESS

 

The Wall family has gathered here today

to memorialize our Dad & Papa in our own special way.

Harold Wingate Wall was a man like no other.

The best Father, Grandfather, and great husband to our Mother.

But in his 92 years he was so much more than that.

Hard worker, skilled craftsman, avid fisherman, and he could swing a bat.

Born in Shawmutt, Alabama on 2 August, 1926

in a simple family, in a small town, kind of a country hick.

The son of a Mill worker, normal kid playing ball, fishing and going to school.

Dad was brought up in a happy family, a simple life but he was no fool.

When Mamaw would check him out of school so they could go fishing,

an adventurous and better life is what Dad was wishing.

When WWII broke out, a war like they had never seen,

his Mom and Dad let him sign up at the age of 17.

Two years in the Navy and he came back home,

but he didn’t stay long as through the world he would roam.

After a few years going back to school and playing minor league baseball,

he joined the Air Force and service would be his call.

He met a girl from Cairo, Georgia and their love grew.

And he married her at the Maxwell Air Force Base Chapel in 1952.

Mom talks about it often, both were happy as they could be,

with the best man, Buddy Smallwood, passed out under a tree.

Thirteen months later, along came Steve.

And after Andy was born, then they would leave.

Three years in Spain where they really had fun,

and on to Homestead where Hurricane Donna made us run.

Sweden was next where Tad arrived on the scene.

A lot of snow, JFK assassinated, and the topless beaches were pretty keen.

Nellis Air Force Base was the next tour where a good time was had.

Camping, gambling, ball games, and a broken leg, so sorry Tad.

Nineteen Sixty Eight which we spent in Cairo was not a good year.

Dad went to Vietnam and many nights ended with a tear.

Mom missed Dad very much and she was at her wits end,

with three active boys, do not spare the rod or spoil the child is the message she did send.

Dad came home after surviving a few scares,

And us boys survived Cairo with only a few recurring nightmares.

San Angelo, Texas, for two years was our next tour, and then on to Hawaii for four more.

Wheeler Air Force Base was our home for those years.

I remember lots of parties, a lot of good friends, and a lot of beers.

Eglin is where Dad’s Air Force career came to a close,

and Niceville is the final home that Mom and Dad chose.

Dad was the finest man I have ever come across.

Smart, kind, hardworking, honest, for this we are at a great loss.

Sherry and I moved back four years ago, as Dad battled.

He hated asking for help thinking we would be saddled.

But I have enjoyed spending a little time with him each day,

He was still the same great man but his body was withering away.

At the end he was just so tired and it was time to go.

No doubt he is in heaven, looking over us, don’t you know.

So to you Dad, as your soul is in flight.

We will miss you with all of our might!

THE END  

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