Fallen Hero: Retired Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Kearney Hall

Pelahatchie. MS

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Funeral Home

Ott & Lee Funeral Home

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Obituary

Military Service Tribute, Honors, and Obituary:

Recognizing and Honoring a Fallen Hero, Who Served Within the Mississippi National Guard. “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten”.

In recognition of our proud American tradition of honorable service which our military men and women have given to their country and our State, we honor a Fallen Hero.  Our nation, our state, and the National Guard Association of MS (NGAMS) regard the memorializing of its retired military deceased as an honorable and sacred obligation.

Another great Soldier and Fallen Hero has been released from duty, passed from our ranks on March 30, 2026, and has moved on to his heavenly home. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Kearney Hall, age 81, Pelahatchie, MS who served in the 31th RAOC and 168th Engineer Group has departed and gone to a better place with our Lord and Savior.

It takes a special person to serve within the military for their country, giving up their family time, comfort, and safety for their country, ultimately for all Americans to enjoy their freedoms, safety, and way of life. We now applaud you for your service to our country.  A special message from General Douglas McArthur remains applicable today for our servicemen that have passed: “Old Soldiers never die; they just fade away”.

Rest in Peace Soldier.  We applaud your patriotism, sacrifices, and brave efforts in serving our country and your family for their support of your service. We thank you for your service. Without your efforts and your families’ support, our country would not stand so boldly, shine so bright, and live so free.

You now have earned a rest, so go fly with the Angels, go rest high on that mountain; your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a-shoutin’ Love for the Father and the Son.

Another great Soldier has gone home, “Fallen, Yet Not Forgotten, Soldier for Life”.

Obituary, visitation and service details:

Ralph Kearney Hall, 81, passed away on Monday, March 30,2026, in Flowood, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Betty Helen Clark Hall (“Nana”);  his parents, Kearney and Gertrude Hall; his son-in-law, Jonathan Summerlin; and his niece, Lori Harvey. He is survived by his daughters, Becky Russell (Bill) and Missy Summerlin; his granddaughters, Bekah King (Brandon), Halle Russell and Makayla Russell; his brother Ray Hall (Jalane); his sisters, Fay Whittington and Debbie Donald (Jerry); and his great-granddaughter, Avery Helen King, who is expected in May 2026.

Ralph was a proud veteran who maintained a lifelong devotion to his country. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1966, where he trained as an aircraft electrician and served in England and Vietnam. In 1978, he was commissioned into the Mississippi Army National Guard, where he completed active duty tours in Germany, Japan, Egypt, and South Korea. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 23 years of dedicated service.

During his time in the Air Force, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from McMurry College in 1971, and then went on to obtain a Master’s in Business Administration from Mississippi College in 1976, which led to a successful career in banking and finance. He retired from the Small Business Administration and later served in the private sector as a Senior Vice President at Community Bank, where he was honored as “Financial Services Champion of the Year” for his outstanding work.

Above all else, Ralph was a devoted follower of Christ, a loving husband, father, and grandfather-affectionately known as ” Paw” to his granddaughters and their friends. He could often be found with a cigar in hand at his “happy place,” his deer camp, where he enjoyed hunting, nature, and fellowship with friends. He had a lifelong fascination with trains and planes, enjoyed discussing politics, looked forward to trips to Sam’s Club, and would indulge in a good hot dog whenever the opportunity arose.

He will be remembered for his steadfast faith, his service to his country, and his deep love for his family. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the values he instilled, and the generations who will carry his memory forward. He will be deeply missed and forever cherished by all who knew him.

Visitation will be held on Thurs. April 2, 2026 from 5pm-8pm and on Fri. April 3, 2026 from 9:30am-11am at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon, MS. Funeral services are 11am on Fri. April 3, 2026 at the Ott & Lee Funeral Home Chapel in Brandon with burial to follow in the Crossroads Baptist Cemetery in Pelahatchie, MS.