Birth Oct. 8, 1933
Mount Vernon, NY
Death Nov. 16, 2024
Albany, NY
Details of service
There will be no visiting hours. A celebration of Mary’s life will take place at 11:00 am on Friday, November 22, 2024 at the Second Congregational Church. A reception will follow at the church. For those unable to attend the service, it will be live streamed and the link can be found on the church website. The link will remain available following the service.
Mary Immen Hall, long time resident of Bennington, VT, passed away suddenly on Nov. 16, 2024 at the age of 91. Her transition was peaceful, surrounded by family and her beloved husband, Joe at her side.
Mary was born Oct. 8, 1933 in Mount Vernon, NY. She was the only child of Lillian (Elliott) and Charles Burton Immen. She attended Arlington High School. In 1949, she married Joseph Hiram Hall.
Mary adored her large family of six children. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren brought her endless joy. Her deep love for her family and husband Joe, over 75 years, was a major driving force for her longevity. The evening before her passing, Mary and Joe enjoyed a dinner date together at a favorite local restaurant. She was living her life to the fullest.
At a young age, Mary was a model for Norman Rockwell. She appeared on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post “Christmas Homecoming” 1948, a Boy Scout Calendar “The Scout is Helpful,” a Hallmark Christmas card, as well as numerous illustrations. Later in her life, she worked at the Norman Rockwell Art Gallery in Arlington. Although modest about her modeling, she did take pride in sharing stories about her experience.
The communities of the North Bennington Congregational Church and the Second Congregational Church, where she served as a deacon, were deeply woven into her life. Mary’s two middle daughters, Sarah and Mary Beth, have memories as young children accompanying her when she volunteered at the Office of Economic Opportunity, which is now the Greater Bennington Community Services. They remember their mom helping to sort through clothing donations for those in need. Even in passing, her legacy of generosity continued as an organ donor.
Joe and Mary raised sheep for many years, although she didn’t enjoy trying to corral them when they escaped their fencing, she did enjoy using the fleece for spinning and knitting projects. Weekend evenings were often spent playing bridge with other couples as part of their robust social life. Mary was an avid reader all her life. When her eyesight made it no longer possible for her to read print, she enjoyed listening to books on tape or Joe reading aloud to her.
Mary enjoyed traveling with family; trips near and far, Ireland, Italy, Guam, Okinawa, Hawaii, Nova Scotia, Cape Cod, and Maine. She loved spending time on Block Island with dear friends, but most of all she cherished nothing more than time spent with her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
In addition to her devoted husband Joe, Mary is survived by her children: Ann Rathbone (Charlie), Rob Hall (Linda), Sarah Fox (Bernie), Mary Beth Maguire (Scott), Diantha Francis (Brent) and Rachel Wilkinson. Along with her children she had many grandchildren: Justin (Emily) and Kyla Rathbone, Lexi Hall, Jonathan (Nicole) and Leah Fox (Kyle Deerwester), Laura Maguire, Amy Maguire Hayden (Jason) and Joseph Maguire (Meghan), Mullein, Skylar, and Owen Francis, Caleb, Lilly Wilkinson (Lin) and Elliott Wilkinson. In addition, Mary savored time with her great grandchildren: Leo and Abigail Rathbone, Cianya Barbosa, Joekai Finch and Zayan Williams, Cordelia and Fiona Fox, Weslyn Maguire Jones and Everett Jones, Juniper and Evelyn Hayden, Alayna and Immen Maguire. She was predeceased by her parents and her mother and father-in-law, Richard and Diantha Hall.
A number of years ago, when planning her celebration of life, Mary’s wish to those she loved was, “Be not sad. You all have been so good to me already. Rejoice in all our happy memories together.”
Read the story on VTDigger here: Mary Immen Hall.