Christmas Letter to all our friends

Dear Family and Friends,

Tis the Holiday Season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, when we pause to reflect on the many gifts and people who have been so important to us all. The special time we spend with those we love, sharing the joy, memories of seasons past, and memories of loved ones no longer with us.

This year we are thankful to all of you whom have supported us in our grief and convalescence through your kind words, prayers, helpful tasks and gifts. We continue to miss our lovely daughter, sister, and wife, Renee Kristin, immensely, but know that her soul has been lifted just as our spirits have been lifted by all your love and prayers.

Renee was our Christmas baby, born December 19, 1981. She was a red baby, not only wrapped in red blankets and clothes, but seemingly blushing from head to toe. From the beginning, she was vivacious and loving. In every waking day you could count on her warm smile to brighten your mood. Renee loved this season. She loved the music, the smells of baking, the colors of lights and holiday parties. She especially loved being in the midst of family.

During this time of giving, please give each person you know and care about a hug or a squeeze, and remind them that you love them. That can be your gift to Renee. She loved to linger over opening gifts, meticulously unwrapping each without tearing or wrinkling the paper. Linger on your hugs. Renee would have loved that.

Thank you from the very bottoms of our hearts.

The Hall Family,

Rachel, John, and Britanie

Leah and Jay

Renee and Zack

December 19 - Renee's Birthday...

Just wanted to post a quick little note today... Today would have been Renee's 26th birthday. Renee was our Christmas Angel, not only because she was born during the Christmas season, but because she so loved to celebrate Christmas. She was well known for pulling out all the stops when it came to decorating, always had Christmas carols playing as soon as the Thanksgiving feast was cleared, immaculately wrapped presents (although, for her birthday you better make darn sure that it was BIRTHDAY paper and not Christmas wrapping paper) and most importantly a huge smile and a hug, and a genuine joy for the season. The next few weeks are going to be very difficult, as we will be going thru a time where family is the most important part of the celebration, and Renee's absence will be especially poignant.


I also just wanted to pass on a little note I got from my mom, Rachel today...

I just keep thinking of the days when Renee was born. It was very cold - sub zero ( -8 ) so my mom was worried the car wouldn't start if she had to come in the middle of the night. My brother Karl was home from college and spent the evening with us. We finished the last of
our Christmas cards and Karl mailed them on the way home to Mom & Dad's. They had gone to a Christmas party. I had a terrible cold those last few days, so my doctor gave me a super decongestant so that I could breathe freely while doing Lamaze. I can remember driving
through the still, snowy empty streets...the few cars we saw had the exhaust forming the white smoke in the frigid air.

Renee was born at 6:15 - a Saturday. We were able to keep her with us for the next hour and a half. She was awake the whole time. We called people from the birthing room. My Dad was amazed he could hear her soft cries over the phone.

My sister, Kathy, was singing with her husband in Greenland. The night when I was in labor, she had a dream in which we had a little girl.

That Christmas was so peaceful since my only job was to feed and care for our new daughter.

Love, Rachel


I also would like to show a tribute that one of Renee's good friends made for Renee. He was a good friend from her time at Texas Tech, and was someone who shared the gift of music with Renee, and who traveled with her to Honduras to teach music to the children down there. I missed getting his name during all the confusion and emotional turmoil at the funeral, but the credit is all his. The music is an original piece, composed for Renee, after her friend found out about her passing. This tribute shows how my wonderful sister lived and celebrated her life...

Renee's Tribute

Please be patient, it takes some time to load...

Happy Birthday Renee!

J