Wayne Leland Hall, Lt Col, USMC (Ret.)USNA '49, of the Woodlands, Lebanon, NH, died Thursday, October 4th at the age of 85, a proud US Marine to the end. Wayne was born on January 26,1927 in Pierre, South Dakota, the son of Willis Archie Hall and Ruth Moriarty Hall. Wayne was the third of six children and the second of five boys.

Ever the athlete, in 1939, at 12 years of age, Wayne was the first string catcher on the Miller American Legion team with all the pitchers (and most of the other players) being 17 and 18 years of age. Wayne graduated from Miller (SD) High School in 1945. He earned 4 varsity letters in football, 4 in basketball and 3 in track; the only student ever to win so many athletic awards at Miller High School as of the time of his graduation in 1945.

Wayne graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1949 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, serving until his retirement in 1969 as a Lt. Colonel.

As a 23 year old Second Lieutenant Wayne answered the call for volunteer platoon leaders in Korea. "I decided that's what I was there for, so I volunteered." One of the first Marines over the seawall at Inchon, Wayne served under Colonel Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, and led 3rd platoon, Item Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment, 1st Marine Division at the Chosin Reservoir. Wounded by shrapnel in November 1950, he was patched up on the battlefield and never left the combat zone. Wayne remained on the battlefield until March 15, 1951 when wounded again by .50 caliber machine gun fire that knocked him out of the war. Among his citations from the "Forgotten War" are the Korea Service medal with four battle stars, two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star with the Combat "V" for valor.

Wayne married Janice Ann Florell Lovre, his wife of sixty years, on February 8, 1952.

Over the next decades the Marine Corps moved Wayne and Jan to Louisiana, Quantico VA, Camp Lejeune NC, Weston MA, Little Creek VA and Fairfax VA where Wayne concluded 20 years of service while stationed at Headquarters USMC. In addition to his Korean War service, during his military career Wayne served as Commanding Officer, Marine Detachment, USS Midway; taught Military History at Harvard University to History majors and NROTC students; served in the Dominican Republic as Intelligence Officer for Admiral McCain during the the revolution in mid-1960s and as Mid-Range War Plans Officer at Headquarters USMC, a position he held from 1967 until his retirement.

Upon Wayne's retirement from the Marines in 1969, Wayne moved his family from the suburbs of Washington DC to Hanover, NH. Wayne served as Assistant Comptroller for Dartmouth College from 1969 until 1984 than as Business Manager and Chief Financial Officer at Kimball Union Academy.

Wayne received his Masters in Public Administration from George Washington University.

Wayne and his wife, Jan, spent forty summers entertaining family and friends at their cottage on Peacham Pond and enjoyed their retirement years traveling the world. Active in the community Wayne served as Lions Club president, Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl board member, and as a Raggedy Andy hospital volunteer.

Wayne is survived by his wife, Janice of Lebanon, NH, son Kent and his wife Soph of Lyndonville, VT and their children SSgt Jed Sanborn, Ft. Benning, GA, Derek Sanborn, Virginia Beach, VA, Jered, Wayne II, and Morgan of Lyndonville; son Steve and his wife Brenda of Mt. Vernon, WA; daughter Laurinda and her husband David Stokes of Louisville, KY and sons Taylor and Hunter, also of Louisville; and son Randy and wife Kim and their children Ashley, Kristofer, Nikolas and Megi, all of Southlake, TX.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 10, 2012, 10:00 AM at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Hanover, NH. A reception will follow in Cana Hall at the church. Graveside services with military honors will take place at the Pine Knoll Cemetery in Hanover, immediately following the reception.

In lieu of flowers, Wayne's family asks that memorial donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Arrangements are under the direction of the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH.