Carolee (Carol Green) and Lee H. Hall

Carol and Lee died recently after brief, non-COVID-19 related illnesses. They both passed peacefully - Lee on December 29, 2020 in Hartford Hospital (CT) at age 85 and Carol on January 29, 2021, surrounded by her family, at age 86, in The Suffield House.

For Lee and Carol, life was a journey of love and passion... Love for each other, for their children, their granddaughter, their extended family, friends, and for life in general

Lee was born on August 28, 1935 to the late Howard L. and Erma (Goody) Hall in Brockton, Mass and lived there until his family moved to Avon, Mass. During his teens and early twenties, he was an early participant at Camp Berwick - which is located on Dyer Island off the coast of Maine. It is here he developed his love of the ocean and learned skills that would be the foundation of his life – including to be a responsible, determined and socially minded, contributing adult as well as practical skills like plumbing, carpentry and electronics –which is probably why he could fix almost anything. He was a lifelong supporter of The Berwick Boys Foundation whose motto is, "The difficult we do at once – the impossible takes a little longer."This is something he strongly believed and passed on to others.

He attended Avon High School and went on to graduate from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst (UMass) with a degree in Industrial Administration. While at UMass he was a member of the Theta Chi fraternity. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1957 - 63. Lee worked for the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company Group Life & Health Division for 35 years. He had many jobs during his career and was active in many organizations including the Life Office Management Association, the Health Insurance Association of America, the United Way and the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. He retired in 1993 as a vice president in group sales.

Carol was born to the late Joseph H. and Clara L. (Sulger) Green on July 8, 1934 in Hollywood, California. When she was nine months old, the family relocated and drove across the United States and arrived in Needham, Mass. Within three years, the family was on the move again and settled in West Springfield, Mass. It was here she spent her formative years and developed a lifelong passion for music. She began by learning to play the piano and later the French horn. She played piano throughout her life and in her 40's took on the challenge of learning to play the Casavant Pipe Organ with 22 ranks. 1,124 pipes, 3 divisions, 2 manuals, 17 stops, and 17 registers at the Somers Congregational Church.

She attended West Springfield High School, and then went on to graduate from UMass where she received a degree in Foods and Nutrition. While at UMass, she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority where she would meet a group of women who would become lifelong friends. After graduating, Carol worked at Hartford Hospital as dietician and later at The University of Connecticut as an Editorial Assistant. Their love affair started on the campus of UMass after being introduced by friends. Lee and Carol were married on April 19, 1958, living first in East Hartford, Conn. and then making their home for 41 years in Somers, Conn. where they raised their sons Stephen and Geoffrey. They both loved spending time outside tending the gardens and the yard surrounding their home.

Family was extremely important to them both - a value they often instilled around the dinner table (over nutritionally balanced meals) where they ate every night as the boys were growing up. Sunday nights were the only exception when they sometimes gathered over pizza in the family room with a fire in the fireplace. They supported and encouraged the boys in their interests and activities whether that took them to a concert hall or race track. The family was completed in July, 1995 with the birth of their only grandchild, Victoria. She brought them so much joy and happiness and they loved introducing her to new things and experiencing them through a child's eye. When Tori earned her license in cosmetology, they cherished the weekly visits they had with her as she shampooed, cut or colored their hair.

They were active in Somers from the very beginning. Lee was active in town government on the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Jaycees and the Rotary Club to name a few. Carol was a founding member of the Somers Cooperative Preschool, the original dietician for Somers Meals-On-Wheels program, the Somers Beautification Committee and many other volunteer activities.

In addition to their town activities, Lee and Carol were both members of the Somers Congregational Church for over 55 years. Among Lee's many roles at the church were the House and Grounds Committee (where he would help install the organ that Carol later learned to play), treasurer and moderator. Carol was a member of the choir for many years, was a substitute organist, served on many committees including the Music Committee and as Senior Deaconess. It was through these activities where they acquired their close-knit group of friends – many of those friendships that lasted for more 50 years. Since their retirement in 1993, they have spent as much time as humanly possible near the ocean including Coronado Beach in San Diego, Calif, Southwest Harbor on the coast of Maine, Mystic Conn, Venice Beach, Florida. They explored the main streets and back roads of New England often finding themselves in a museum or gallery, or enjoying a concert at Tanglewood, or trying to find the best Lobster Roll or ice cream. They were devoted fans of The University of Connecticut Women's Basketball team for the last 25 years, season ticket holders for much of that time, but never missing a game – even if they had to record it and watch it later.

They moved to Enfield, Conn in 2002 and to Suffield, Conn in 2020. Theirs is a love affair that spanned decades. They taught each other how to love and be loved and to share that love. They shared everything with each other. Carol shared her passion for music with Lee and Lee shared his passion for the ocean and sailing.

They are survived by their sons Stephen of Springfield, Mass and Geoffrey of South Weymouth, Mass; their granddaughter, Victoria (Tori) Hall of Enfield, Conn; Lee's sister and her husband Priscilla& William Morse of Hanover, Mass; Lee's aunt Hazel (Goody) Kerr ,their nieces - Deborah and her husband Cliff Roberts, Joely Green and fiancé Michael Morrison, Joyce and her husband Mark Waterhouse, Jane and her husband Leo DeGrenier, and their nephew Geoff and his wife Sharron Green, 11 great nieces and nephews and 10 great-great nieces and nephews, the Goody/Hall cousins and many friends loved as to be considered family.

In addition to their parents, they were predeceased by Carol's sister and brother-in-law Virginia and Lyle Strong, her brother and sister-in-law Warren and Dorothy Green and her niece Diane Taylor.

A Memorial Service/Celebration of Life will take place at the Somers Congregational Church when the pandemic is over. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Berwick Boys Foundation www.berwick.org, or the Somers Congregational Church www.thesomerschurch.org.