Mr. Roy G. Hall Jr. always met a battle head on, and never backed down from a challenge.

Roy was a veteran of the Army and Navy, enlisting in the Army at 18. As an attorney, he fought for his defendants’ rights in court. 

As a father, he ensured his sons were loved and received the best care. Though he faced many difficulties in his long life, he never failed to show his wit, his intelligence and his strength of spirit.

Roy experienced the brunt of the Great Depression firsthand, when his parents, Roy G. Hall and Evelyn Nabors Hall, lost everything in Atlanta. This, however, provided him an opportunity to move in with family in Batesburg, South Carolina, and spend time with two uncles who practiced law. Evelyn, Roy and his younger brother, Jan, then moved to Saluda, North Carolina, in 1938, where, in 1944, Roy and seven classmates graduated from Saluda High School.

When he returned from Army service in 1947, his mother Evelyn forced him to travel to Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina, to visit the universities. He went first to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, because he had heard many students were veterans.

Roy never made it to Durham. His heel was then forever covered in tar.

Likely due to an admiration for his uncles, he received a law degree from the UNC in 1955. Upon graduating, he was commissioned as a captain in the U.S. Navy Reserves’ Naval Intelligence.

Roy then worked as the Assistant Director of the Institute of Government at UNC, wrote the book “The Law of Arrest,” taught law classes, and had two sons, David and Brian, with his wife, Catherine.

In 1962, Roy began working in Greensboro, North Carolina, as a U.S. Assistant District Attorney. However, in 1968, the family moved to Pfafftown, North Carolina, for Brian to attend the best school for disabled children at that time.

During the course of Roy’s career as a defense attorney in Winston-Salem, he was faced with hard choices, but never wavered in his professionalism or ethics. Roy whole-heartedly believed in — and lived by — the presumption of innocence and a strong quality defense for all individuals, no matter if everyone thought a defendant was guilty.

After retirement, Roy continued to play golf with his son Brian until a rotator cuff injury dampened his game. But that didn’t stop Roy from walking the course during Special Olympic rounds, where his son and his new partner, Larry Stevenson, won medals.

Roy and Brian were even featured in a 2013 Winston-Salem Journal article for Father’s Day. They were quite a pair.

Roy loved Brian deeply, and felt that he was the best possible person to care for Brian.

Behind the scenes, Roy’s friends and neighbors provided significant support during the years as ailments began to take a toll. His friend, Ann Haynes, was instrumental in assisting with Brian’s care, while neighbors Desiree and Danny Anders, Ralph “Monty” and Cynthia Leonard, and Alex Marcia provided not only assistance with food and errands, but checked in frequently to ensure their safety.

This admiration and love for Roy and Brian continues to amaze his family and can never be repaid.

A huge UNC basketball fan, Roy loved to talk the game with Jim Hill, whom he cared for like a son despite what he considered Jim’s poor choice of university (Virginia). Roy’s Tarheel nature sustained him through his final ailment as he opened his eyes for the final time on Sunday to ensure there was a demise to archrival Duke in the NCAA tournament.

Roy is survived by his son, Brian Hall of King, North Carolina; nieces, Angela Hall of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Melanie Flanigan of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and nephew, Jonathan Hall Baran of Concord, California.

Roy is predeceased by his son, David Hall of Butner, North Carolina; and brother, Jan M. Hall of Greensboro, North Carolina.

The family welcomes your presence at a graveside service in Salem Cemetery on Saturday, April 7, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Special Olympics.

Online condolences may be made through www.salemfh.com.