James Hall, 76, of West Branch

James Reginald Hall, age 76, passed away on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at MyMichigan Medical Center in West Branch, MI. He was born on November 20, 1945 in Detroit MI to Albert and Dorothy (Tackett) Hall.

James grew up in Detroit at Woodward and 7 Mile. He attended the University of Michigan College of LSA and the University of Michigan School of Medicine earning a BS and MD degree respectively. He did post-doctoral training in pathology at the University of Michigan Department of Pathology in Ann Arbor, Michigan State College of Human Medicine, and the UCLA School of Medicine, Cedar Sinai. He was board certified by the American Board of Pathologists and achieved the rank of Fellow.

James served his country in the United States Army in Vietnam from 1971-1973 as a pathologist in the 9th Army Medical Laboratory in Saigon, and subsequently at the 6th Army Medical Pathology Laboratory in San Francisco, CA.

Following service, James traveled and worked in several locations, eventually marrying and settling in West Branch where he established the HistoDiagnostic Labs contracting with local hospitals. He served as Medical Examiner for Ogemaw County from 2002 to 2012. He was a member of the Michigan State Medical Society and served as secretary-treasurer as well as president of the North Counties Medical Society 1990-1992.

James had a lifelong love of music and played and performed on guitar, accordion, keyboard, and other instruments frequently. He was involved in the recording and acting industries as a hobby and was a member of the Screen Actors Guild as well as a principle in several small recording companies. He had a longstanding appreciation of the indigenous people of the area and spent considerable time comparing and evaluating Native American medical practices with respect to Western Medicine. He had been named an Honorary Medicine Man by the Ojibwe (Chippewa) tribes locally.

James had a deep understanding of life, loved animals and people, and was inquisitive and active to the very end of his life. He will be missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife Nancy Hall; cousins Robert Milne, John Hall and Bill Hall; brother-in- law Charles Dwan; nephews Christopher M. Dwan and Albert E. Dwan; and niece Carol R. Webb; as well as good friends Bob Duquette and Joyce Walters.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister Susan (Hall) Dwan.

Burial will be at White Chapel Cemetery in Troy, MI. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later time.

Arrangements were handled by Steuernol & McLaren Funeral Home in West Branch. www.steuernolmclaren.com
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