Donald M. "Don" Hall

Well-Known former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada Judge

and resident of Berwick, Passes Away

Donald MacKinnon "Don" Hall - 83, of Berwick, Kings County, passed away on Thursday, July 16, 2015 in the Valley Regional Hospital, Kentville. Born in South Berwick, he was a son of the late John and Elizabeth (Palmer) Hall. In his youth, Don played baseball, hockey and track and field. While a student at Dalhousie Law School, he played hockey for the Dalhousie Tigers and later enjoyed playing golf and down hill skiing. He was inducted into the Berwick Sports Hall of Fame. In 1951, Don joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He had a love for flying, and had a pilots license for many years. He attended Dalhousie and Acadia Universities, graduating LL.B from Dalhousie Law School in 1958. He purchased Boylan's Law Practice in Berwick and operated his own Law Practice for several years and served as solicitor for the Town of Berwick. He became Crown Prosecutor for Kings County and was appointed a Judge of the County Court and the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. In 1964 he became a member of the Nova Scotia Bar Council and in 1965 was president of the Kings County Barristers Association. Don was appointed Queens Council on December 17, 1974. After his retirement from the Supreme Court in 2006, he was appointed to the Pension Appeals Board, which is a panel of retired judges that hears Canada Pension appeals. Don has been described as a role model of public service and admired for the respectful way he used his power as judge. Don was very active in his community serving as a member of the Annapolis Valley District Health Authority's Research Ethics Committee. He was Charter Secretary of the Berwick Lions Club, a lay member of Acadia University Senate and an Elder of the Berwick United Church, where he chaired various church boards. In politics he served as treasurer of Young Liberals of Canada and had been vice-president of the Nova Scotia Liberal Association in 1974. He had been an active member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Ortona Branch No. 69, Berwick, for over 50 years, where he was a Life Member, Past President, former secretary, by-law chairman, and a founding member of the Legion Med Alert committee. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, the former Irene Amy Charlton; four daughters, Katherine Irene Hall, Hyannis, Mass. USA; Heather Elizabeth (John) Gordon, Surry, BC; Janice Donna (Paul) Hall Nichols, Somerset; Alyson Dawn Hall, Bowie, Maryland USA; brother, Frank (Eleanor), Berwick; seven grandchildren, Aleasha Stanley, Nicole Berringer, Chelsea (Tim) Manuel, Jonathan Fiske, Kevin Fiske, Thomas Monroe, Kade Monroe; two great grandchildren, Charlie Mercer and Ava Manuel; a niece, Donna Charlton, Berwick; a nephew, Stephen Charlton, St. Albert, Alberta; a brother-in-law, Arthur Dean Charlton. He was predeceased by a brother, Maxwell. Cremation has taken place. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, 2015 in the White Family Funeral Home, Kentville. The funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, 2015 in the Berwick United Church, Reverend Tom Woods officiating. A reception will follow in the Berwick Lions Hall. Donations in memory may be made to the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Kings County SPCA, Learning Disabilities Association of Canada or to a charity of your choice. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville.