Obituary of Manoka M. Hall

Manoka Beall Hall, 96, formerly of 95 Liberty St, Jamestown, NY and Allegany, NY passed away at 6:45 p.m. Thursday (April 28, 2011) in the Heritage Village Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Facility, Gerry, NY, where she had been a resident for the past two years. She was born October 29, 1914 in Cedarville, West Virginia a daughter of the late William and Elsie Belknap Beall. Mrs. Hall moved to New York State and met her high school sweetheart Jack and graduated from the former Allegany Central School in 1932. She graduated from the Fredonia State Teacher's College in 1936 with degrees in Elementary Education and Music. She returned to Fredonia to earn her Master Degree in Music Education in 1982. While living in Jamestown she was a communicant of Holy Apostles Parish at St. John Catholic Church. For 39 years she was a teacher in one room schoolhouses in Portville, Delevan-Machias and Allegany, NY. Mrs. Hall shared her gift of music with countless aspiring musicians in schools and in her home music studio where she taught piano, organ and voice lessons. She composed music including the "Alma Mater" while a student at Allegany Central School, which has been adopted by many other schools through the years. She is survived by her three children John R. (Joanne) Hall of Napoli, NY, Sandi Johnson of Sherman Oaks, CA, Sherry Hall of Stephens City, VA. She loved her seven grandchildren John R. (Patty) Hall of Davenport, FL, Mike (Debbi) Hall of Depew, NY, Ginny Hall of Jamestown, Krissta Hall of Kennedy, NY, Kale Hall of New York City, Matthew Hall of Randolph, NY, Tommy Leonard of Woodbridge, VA, and two great grandchildren twins John and Gianna Hall of Davenport, Fl. She was preceded in death by her husband John D. Hall whom she married in 1936 in Fredonia and who died in 1980, and by a brother Robert Beall. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 3, 2011, in Holy Apostles Parish at St. John Catholic Church, 270 Newton Ave. Jamestown, NY. The Rev. Dennis W. Mende, pastor will be celebrant. Burial will be in the Allegany Cemetery, Allegany, NY. Visitation will not be observed. Arrangements are by the Lind Funeral Home, Inc. 805 West Third St. Jamestown, NY.