F. Riley Hall & Geraldine A. Hall Memorial Fund

The children of Riley and Gerry Hall—Ginger Carnes, Carol Bebout, Susan Parker, and Kevin Hall—created this designated fund at Marion Community Foundation to memorialize their parents and celebrate their commitment to the Stengel-True Museum. The fund, created in 2004, provides annual support to the museum’s operations.

The Halls were long-time supporters of the Stengel-True Museum and regular volunteers. Riley served as a trustee, including a term as board president, from 1968 until his passing. He and Gerry were instrumental in the restoration work completed at the museum in the 1970s. The couple was known to regularly “babysit” the museum following the restoration project, regularly serving as volunteer hosts during public visits.

Professionally, Riley was a Marion attorney, who was joined in his law practice by son, Kevin, and, son-in-law, Brad Bebout, who later became Marion Community Foundation’s second president and CEO. He passed in 2004; proceeded in death by Gerry, who passed in 1990.

The Stengel-True Museum is located at 504 S. State St. in Marion. It was constructed for Judge Ozias Bowen in 1864. It was donated as a museum by grandson, Henry A. True, a local banker, and houses the collections of Dr. Frederick A. Stengel, optometrist, jeweler, hobbyist, and antique collector.