Rex E. Hall, associate professor of metals processing at Western Michigan University for 26 years, passed away on February 24, 2005, following a long illness.
Rex E. Hall (1927-2005)
Born November 13, 1927, in Ennis, Texas, the son of Samuel W. and Ethel L. (Powledge) Hall came to WMU in 1961 from Pittsburg, Kansas. He managed the machine shop in the Industrial Education Department (IED) until he retired in 1987.
IME Chair Paul Engelmann, who knew Hall as a professor and as a colleague and who served as Hall’s lab assistant in 1981-82, said Hall “forgot more about manufacturing processes than most people ever learn.”
Describing Hall as his “major professor in 11 years of college,” Engelmann said Hall’s expertise included sheet metal, press work, forging, casting, welding, powdered metallurgy, materials testing, art metal working and more.
“His [Hall’s] depth of understanding was breathtaking,” Engelmann said. “I gained more technical knowledge from him than from anyone else.”
According to IME professor Fred Sitkins – who managed the Mechanical Engineering machine shop during the same time period that Hall managed IED’s and who assumed responsibilities for a blended machine shop after Hall retired – Hall was affectionately referred to as “Mr. Machine Shop”.
“Most students and faculty agreed that Rex knew more about machining processes and techniques than anyone we had ever met in either education or industry,” Sitkins said. “Rex served as a mentor to all of us.”
Hall is also remembered for a style of humor that was honed in his native Texas and that “never failed to bring a smile when one was needed,” Sitkins said.
Engelmann said he couldn’t think about Hall without smiling at remembrances of his teaching style. Hall required students to “meticulously maintain tools” and he gave “hard as nails” tests. “Rex didn’t allow tool abuse, and when it was appropriate, he could yell at the top of his lungs.”
Sitkins said that Hall’s “influence continues today” and that many alumni have asked about Hall and have shared their admiration of him with comments like, “I learned more than just machining from Rex.”
With Hall’s “magnetic personality,” Sitkins said that Hall quickly bonded with students and colleagues alike. “Rex took pride in his unique way of remembering every student’s name especially the ones that were very difficult to pronounce.”
Hall continued to visit WMU until his final illness took him. Rex served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He is survived by his wife, Martha (Gaskin) Hall, whom he married on December 26, 1951; their three children: Cathy L. (James) VanderMeer of Holland, MI, Elizabeth A. Eichelberg of Houston, TX, and Terry S. Graf of Dallas, TX; and five grandchildren.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of Rex – my friend, mentor, colleague, and counselor,” Sitkins said. “I am blessed to have known him. I'm also blessed to carry on his legacy in our department.”
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