John Lewis Hall was born May 4, 1939, at Mexico, MO to Joe Lewis and Frances Elizabeth (Moore) Hall. He entered his heavenly home on June 4, 2026, at the age of 87.

John lived his entire life on the family farm near Mineola, except for the time spent at college and in the military.

John attended Mineola grade school through the eighth grade. He graduated from Montgomery County R-II High School in 1957. He attended the College of Agriculture at the University of Missouri, and graduated with a degree in agriculture in 1962. He was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma social fraternity and also a member of several honorary fraternities.

On July 11, 1964, he married Darla Jean Topel and they became the parents of Julie Ann and Kent Lewis Hall. John raised grain crops and purebred Angus cattle in Loutre Valley from the time he came back from the military until he retired on December 31, 2019, after 58 years of farming.

John was a member of the Mineola Baptist Church where he served as deacon and choir director for many years. With the exception of rock, he enjoyed all kinds of music from opera to country. He and Darla enjoyed many trips to Branson, Arrow Rock, Kansas City, and St. Louis for musical performances.

The farm was always John's first love, after Darla. He was involved in many farm organizations and related businesses, and served at the district and state level on several boards of directors.

John was very involved in Farm Mutual Insurance. John was an agent director for Farmers and Laborers Mutual Insurance Company of Montgomery County from 1979-2004; he also served as president for a number of years. During this time he served as chairman of the Missouri Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, and after Darla retired from teaching he served as the manager of the Farmers Mutual Reinsurance Company for many years with Darla by his side as secretary. He also served on the board of directors for Callaway Electric.

Darla loved to travel and John liked to travel, and they enjoyed as many trips as they could fit into their busy schedules. They were in Europe three times and the Scandinavian countries was their most memorable trip.

John enjoyed working in his shop and had a set of Farmall tractors from the 1950 era, each of which had a particular job on the farm for which he could use them. He tried not to miss watching any of the NASCAR and Indy 500 races. He was even known to rush home on Sundays to watch.

John enjoyed his family and took pride in their accomplishments.

He is survived by his wife, Darla, two children- Julie (Barry Wesner) of Indiana and Kent (Dee) of the Mineola area, six grandchildren, Ryan (Jessica) Hall, Joshua (Makayla) Davenport, Justin (Caitlyn) Hall, Madison Davenport (fiancé, Bobby Dunard), Timothy (Ashlyn) Hall, and Aidan (Claire) Hall and seven great-grandchildren; Gatlin Hall, Hudson Hall, Ryder Hall, Bennett Hall, Campbell Hall, Blakely Davenport and Hattie Davenport. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Frances Hall and one grandson, Jacob Lee Davenport.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at the Mineola Baptist Church. Pallbearers will be Josh Davenport, Ryan Hall, Justin Hall, Timothy Hall, Aidan Hall, Mark Walker and Bobby Dunard. Madison Davenport and Greg White are honorary pallbearers.

A Visitation will be held on Monday, June 8, 2026, from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Schlanker Funeral Home in Montgomery City, Missouri.

Memorial Contributions are suggested to the Mineola Baptist Church, c/o Schlanker Funeral Home, 207 Danville Road, Montgomery City, Missouri 63361