Jeff Hall
I first met Jeff when I arrived in Hawaii in 1993. He was then our church custodian and groundskeeper. Until he was replaced by a custodial service in 1998 Jeff was a friend as well as an employee.
Jeff taught me everything I know about surfing.....as a spectator! When the surf was up and pounding on the North Shore I would call out to Jeff, "Want to drive up and see what's going on?" and Jeff would say, "Sure." We'd watch the 15 footers rolling into Haleiwa or the 20 footers sweeping into Waimea Bay and I would have a "small wave" expert explaining every move and maneuver.
Jeff didn't like to surf in anything much larger than 7 feet. He enjoyed hanging in the line, taking his turn simply for the sheer joy of the thing.
At Waikiki he made some money giving surfing lessons to tourists using some old boards he had collected. I'm sure that Jeff became one those special, personal memories taken back home from the islands by every one who met him. His weathered face and smile undoubtedly still stare out from the pages of many a dusty photo album commemorating a treasured Hawaii vacation.
Jeff was born in Korea but raised by an American couple who adopted him and another Korean boy. The couple added a few of their own children to the mix so there was a definite sense of being a part of a family.
Jeff took up dance and eventually joined a professional dance company that performed at the "Festival of the American West" in Logan, Utah, when I was living there in the early 1980's. The last time I saw Jeff he was once again back on stage at Leeward Community College dancing the role of the Mouse King in the Nutcracker.
On Friday, November 12, Jeff called a taxi to take him to Queen's Hospital where he was admitted. He passed away the following Sunday morning. I am not clear on what he suffered from although his brother has indicated that it might have been colon cancer. The hospital contacted me after his death since the only personal "contact" they could find was in an old medical file that listed the church as a former employer. It took over a week before his brother finally heard the news and came forward as a relative to claim the body.
A brief memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday morning of next week. His other brother and sister will be flying out from California. His "beachboy" friends have offered to carry his ashes out to the Waikiki reef where they will be scattered. Jeff, I think, would be pleased, but maybe just a little bit embarassed by all the attention.
Jeff taught me everything I know about surfing.....as a spectator! When the surf was up and pounding on the North Shore I would call out to Jeff, "Want to drive up and see what's going on?" and Jeff would say, "Sure." We'd watch the 15 footers rolling into Haleiwa or the 20 footers sweeping into Waimea Bay and I would have a "small wave" expert explaining every move and maneuver.
Jeff didn't like to surf in anything much larger than 7 feet. He enjoyed hanging in the line, taking his turn simply for the sheer joy of the thing.
At Waikiki he made some money giving surfing lessons to tourists using some old boards he had collected. I'm sure that Jeff became one those special, personal memories taken back home from the islands by every one who met him. His weathered face and smile undoubtedly still stare out from the pages of many a dusty photo album commemorating a treasured Hawaii vacation.
Jeff was born in Korea but raised by an American couple who adopted him and another Korean boy. The couple added a few of their own children to the mix so there was a definite sense of being a part of a family.
Jeff took up dance and eventually joined a professional dance company that performed at the "Festival of the American West" in Logan, Utah, when I was living there in the early 1980's. The last time I saw Jeff he was once again back on stage at Leeward Community College dancing the role of the Mouse King in the Nutcracker.
On Friday, November 12, Jeff called a taxi to take him to Queen's Hospital where he was admitted. He passed away the following Sunday morning. I am not clear on what he suffered from although his brother has indicated that it might have been colon cancer. The hospital contacted me after his death since the only personal "contact" they could find was in an old medical file that listed the church as a former employer. It took over a week before his brother finally heard the news and came forward as a relative to claim the body.
A brief memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday morning of next week. His other brother and sister will be flying out from California. His "beachboy" friends have offered to carry his ashes out to the Waikiki reef where they will be scattered. Jeff, I think, would be pleased, but maybe just a little bit embarassed by all the attention.
posted by Bird of Paradise at 1:41 PM
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