John Hall, M.D.

Dr. John W. Hall, 83, passed away in the loving care of three generations of his family on Friday evening, March 12, 2021. He was at home with his wife of 30 years, Ann, by his side. The loving messages and visitors he received at home in his last days were a blessing. He was a man well loved, and led a life well lived.
John and Ann lived in Charlevoix, Petoskey, Hilton Head for most of their marriage, before moving recently to Linden. They worked together for many years in John’s Urology practice, where Ann was his nurse; and later side-by-side providing health care on mission trips.

John was born in Saginaw, Michigan, the son of the late Augusta (Gussie) Osterbeck Hall Henning and Hilmer Hall. His younger sister Mary Hall passed away in December 2020. After graduating from Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw in 1955, he attended the University of Michigan. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Near Eastern Studies in 1959, his M.D. degree in 1963, and finished his residency in Urology in 1970. In 1990, after 20 years as a practicing Urologist, he returned to the U of M to earn a Masters of Health Systems Administration. He was through and through a Michigan Man, a true Victor to the end - with 34 semesters of his education completed on Ann Arbor’s campus, his signature line read: John William Hall, BA, MD, MHSA, DABU, FACS.

John joined the Burns Clinic Medical Center physicians’ group in 1970. He was a Urologist who provided specialized care across Northern Michigan. He was instrumental in establishing several significant services for his patients, including the first mobile dialysis service at Northern Michigan Hospital, kidney transplant harvesting services, and lithotripsy procedures for kidney stones. He served as Chief of Staff of both the Little Traverse and Northern Michigan Hospitals. He served as medical director of the Burns Clinic from 1992 to 1998; joined his former Urology partners in private practice from 2003 to 2010, and from 2011 to 2019, he covered weekend call for Marquette General Hospital. In recent years, he also conducted home health evaluations for Medicare patients across Northern Michigan. He had no intention of retiring from practice.

He was a Diplomate of the American Board of Urology, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a member of the American Urological Association, served on the Board of Directors of the Michigan State Medical Society, and on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Kidney Foundation. In 1989, he helped establish, and later served on the Board of Directors, of the Michigan Physicians Medical Liability Company. From 1990 to 2000, served as the Michigan State Medical Society’s delegate to the American Medical Association.
In addition to his medical practice, John was dedicated to conservation and environmental organizations committed to preserving northern Michigan land and lakes, including serving as Vice-President of the Little Traverse Conservancy, Chair of the Lake Charlevoix Management Planning Advisory Committee, and the Board of the Lake Charlevoix Association. He played trombone in the University of Michigan Marching Band during college, and throughout the years in the Blast from the Past Alumni Band. He also served for many years as the physician for the Michigan Marching Band which he accompanied to Bowl games, and for the Symphony Band on a European tour.

Adventures were a major part of John’s life. He didn’t just camp, ski, sail, golf, or travel. He did them all well. He was a masterful euchre player, voracious reader, and woodworker. He taught himself to play the piano, starting with the Maple Leaf Rag, and eventually memorizing over a dozen Scott Joplin rags, then learning everything from John Denver to Enya. A quiet, confident leader, he was “Captain” on many sailing races, including Port Huron to Mackinac and Chicago to Mackinac races. He led friends and family on memorable, life-changing journeys across the country and around the world. Just a few of his favorite adventures include sailing trips on his boat Tigger in the North Channel; ferrying his Rhapsodie en Bleu with a crew of family and friends from Irish Boat Yard in Charlevoix across the Erie Canal and down the intercoastal to Hilton Head; sailing both ways from the US mainland to Bermuda; a cross-Atlantic cruise; a Mediterranean Blue Cruise in Turkey; and medical service trips to Ukraine, Guatemala, and Vietnam. In recent years, John wrote his memoir to share the details of all his experiences with his family.

John and his first wife, Jolyn (Oviatt) raised their family of three children in Ann Arbor, Petoskey and Charlevoix: John Hall (Stephanie) of Novi, MI; Allison Hall Sutter (Geoff Sutter) of Highland Park, Illinois; and Laura Hall. John and his wife Ann Mayhew Gould Hall were married in 1991, and he welcomed her children into their blended family: son Jay Gould (Nancy) of Noblesville, Indiana; and daughter Kimberly Gould Marme (Larry Marme) of Linden. He became dear Uncle John to Ann’s many nieces and nephews. He was the proud Grandpa and Papa to 13 grandchildren: Adrienne Hall Rougeau (Jarrod Rougeau); Isabella, Estella, and Sofia Sutter; Kayla, Courtney, and Caden Gould; Alycia Trombetti, Johnathon Marme, Alexandrea Reeves (Steven Reeves), and Samantha Loudenslager (Jason Loudenslager); Sam Kelman and Mia Leuliette; and four great-grandchildren: Bentley and Kaylee Loudenslager, Dawson Reeves, and Jace Wizner.  An Eagle Scout, he inspired his nephews Bill, Jason, and Micah Prout to embark on their own scouting experiences. He had treasured relationships with his Osterbeck cousins, being especially close to his cousins Ruth Allen, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Paul Osterbeck, Redmond, Washington. He formed a close bond with his brother-in-law Bill Mayhew, Carp Lake, Michigan; together, they enjoyed discovering their genealogy, and their journeys to meet long-lost kin.

On his behalf, John’s family extends their appreciation to the staff at University of Michigan Hospitals and Arbor Hospice for their compassionate and heroic care.
The family plans to host a celebration of John's life on June 19, 2021 in Northern Michigan, location to be announced. Arrangements handled by Sharp Funeral Homes, Linden Chapel, 209 E. Broad St. Linden, MI 48451. Tributes may be shared at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com.