In The News: Dundee school honors longtime counselor

Written by: Seth Gordon, Newberg Graphic 

After attending Dundee Elementary from 1966-1972 and serving as counselor there beginning in 2001, Kevin Hall’s fingerprints are all over the school both physically and figuratively.

That’s especially true for the school’s memorial garden, which Hall helped plan and install in 2013 as a tribute to nine members of the community that had died in the six proceeding years.

The school was devastated by Hall’s unexpected death in August, but very deliberately took its time in considering how to honor him this school year, ultimately deciding to celebrate his life last week by throwing a party on his birthday, May 4.

The event was upbeat, with presents, cupcakes, saltwater taffy and plenty of stories, but a tragic circle was also completed, as principal Reed Langdon led the dedication of a plaque honoring Hall on the garden’s memorial bench.

“It was very fitting, very honoring, very Kevin,” school secretary Shelley Thomas said. “We just never dreamed that we’d be putting up a plaque for him.”

Praise for the plaque, which includes the quote, “Sometimes you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory” and a photo of Hall at eye level with a young African boy during a service trip to Kenya five years ago, was universally positive.

The photo was taken by Hall’s wife, Kathy, and translates well on to the plaque, which was done by Cascade Laser’s Teruah Greenway.

“That was a little boy who was troubled and struggling, but as soon as Kevin got eye to eye with him, he smiled and started interacting with him,” Kathy Hall said. “It’s like the perfect sum up of Kevin.”

Langdon noted that Hall wouldn’t have wanted to be at the focal point of the memorial, which is why the plaque was placed on one end of the bench, but also told the about 75 people in attendance that school staff felt it was important to honor him in the part of the school that was so important to him.

Langdon kept things brief and positive, saying that Hall would have been “appalled” they were spending so much time on him as he reminded them it was a party. A rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” even broke out at the end.

In addition to giving copies of Dr. Seuss’ “Happy Birthday You” to every elementary school in the district, Langdon pointed out that one present was for Hall, as a snowball bush, one of his favorite plants, had been planted in the garden area.

Thomas also showed off the school’s supply closet, which was Hall’s last project at the school and now features a Dr. Seuss mural by parent Connie Gregor that incorporates “Mr. Hall” into the image.

Staff were also wearing T-shirts designed by Thomas for Dr. Seuss Day in March, which featured Hall’s initials and the quote, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There’s no one alive who’s Youer than You.”

“I don’t know how you’d say it in Dr. Seuss language, but there was nobody quite like Mr. Hall,” Langdon said. “So that just seems like the right thing.”