Emmitt F Hall was born January 20, 1921 to Emerson and Ora (Cummings) Hall, the fifth of thirteen children, on a farm four miles east of Burke, South Dakota and he died February 29, 2012 at the Community Memorial Hospital in Burke, South Dakota at the age of 91 years.

Because there was no work during the dirty thirties Emmitt and three of his brothers went to Custer SD and joined the CCC-Civilian Conservation Corp where he worked for 18 months. In the 1940's he went to Washington State and started work in a sawmill until Pearl Harbor was bombed at which time all jobs disappeared so he joined the Army. While in the Army he served in both the European Theater and Pacific Theater starting out in France going to Germany and ending up in Czechoslovakia. Then the atomic bomb was dropped and he was sent to Japan. He was discharged Dec. 31, 1945 after serving 3 years 4 months and 18 days.

Before entering the service Emmitt married Lois Imogene Andersen in Rushville NE on July 28, 1942 and after being discharged they moved to Washington State for 4 years before moving back to Burke. In 1954 they purchased Halls Café and operated it for 25 years and during those years he also started up Burke Sanitary Service in1975.

Emmitt was very active in the community, joining the Burke Fire Department in 1952 and serving 25 years 22 of which were as fire chief. During that time the fire department took over the ambulance service and he served as a EMT. He also served on the city council for 10 years and was acting Postmaster for awhile during the 1960's. He was a member of the American Legion and a life member of the VFW. In April 2010 he was selected and went on the honor flight to Washington DC which he said was very rewarding.

You could say he never really retired, but after he slowed down he loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He took great pride in his tomato garden and keeping up his yard. He continued this through his 90th year.

Emmitt is survived by his wife of 69 years, Imogene; two daughters: Carol (Ben) Merical of Mercer, MO and Kathy (Greg) Hausmann of Bonesteel, SD; one son, Tom (Connie) of Gregory, SD; six grandchildren: Barry (Christina) Merical; Heidi (Jamie) Dooley; Kelli Hall; Amanda (Derek) Zeisler; Kim Hausmann and Cody (Angela) Hall; seven great-grandchildren: Miko, Myla and Marissa Merical; Avery and Ayden Dooley; Trinity and Jayce Hall; a sister, Sharon Bostick of Stockton, CA; and two brothers-in-law, Bill and Lester Andersen of Burke, SD. He was preceded in death by his son David in 1992; his parents; six brothers and five sisters.

He will be missed, but not forgotten!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 2:00 PM at Clausen Funeral Home in Burke. Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery, Burke. There will be a visitation on Saturday prior to the services at the funeral home.