FRIENDS WE WILL MISS

DON KENNETH HALL

Don Kenneth Hall, 81, of Benton, Arkansas, passed away Thursday, April 1, 2021. He was born January 10, 1940 in Louisiana. Hall was a family man who enjoyed working on his Brangus cattle ranch and helping people any way he could. He was a co-owner and pharmacist at Smith-Caldwell Drug Store for almost four decades starting in 1962. His motto was, “You need to accomplish something every day,” and he lived that almost every day of his life. He was a living example of fairness, honesty, and loyalty to all. He cared deeply for his many friends at Ten Mile Missionary Baptist Church, where he was a longtime member.

Don and Jo Ann Hall began raising cattle in the late 1960s. Even as a graduate from the Arkansas School of pharmacy in 1962, he was dreaming of building and owning a successful cattle ranch in central Arkansas. Although he tried a number of breeds in the late 60s and 70s, he realized in the early 1980s that Brangus were the best breed for the Arkansas climate. In 1982, he purchased a few registered Brangus cattle from a ranch in northern Arkansas, and that began his long relationship with the breed.

Hall was a frequent buyer in the early days from Texas ranches like Brinks Brangus, Williams Brangus, and Camp Cooley Brangus. He wanted to establish a herd that was second to none in Arkansas and over the years, he continually worked to improve his herd through an aggressive artificial insemination program as well as natural breeding with high performance bulls. In addition, the late Ken Hughes was a good friend and frequent advisor to Hall over the years.

His son, Greg, moved back to Arkansas in 2009 to assist him on the ranch, and he began working with Hall to continue to build the herd. Over the years, Hall has worked with local breeders to help them improve their herds and also provided young ranchers with prize-winning females at the Arkansas State Fair. His leadership and commitment to the Brangus breed in Arkansas in truly unparalleled.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Marion Dewey Hall and Alice Marie Hall; daughter, Renee Hall; and two sisters, Dolores Tucker and Patsy Justice. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 62 years, Jo Ann Hall; son, Greg Hall and his wife Nancy of Benton; sister, Shirley Williams of Benton; half-sister, Betty Gail Fuqua of Louisiana; and half-brother, Ronnie Hall of Texas.

JIM HARL

Jim Harl, Brenham, Texas died Saturday, April 10th near his home from injuries received in a motorcycle accident. He had recently retired from the cattle business and moved back to Brenham.

Brangus breeders will remember Harl as the manager of Windy Acres Brangus in the early and mid 1980’s and then he also worked for Don Thomas and Son in Missouri.

Harl had recently spent more than a decade with Magness Land & Cattle in Fort Lupton, Colorado as the cowherd manager and in handling registrations and transfers in the office.

He is survived by his sons, Harrison and Hastings, who both reside in Brenham, Texas and his daughter, Michelle, who lives in Iowa, plus a number of grandchildren.

A memorial service is planned for May 7th at the Brenham Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Brenham, Texas.