Mary Annette Hall of Longview, a church organist for nearly 60 years, died Oct. 9. She was 85. She was born to Eston Maurice Hill and Curtis Ocel Bass Hill on June 12, 1933, in Tyler. She began her organ studies at Tyler Junior College. She majored in organ at Southern Methodist University, where she earned the Viola Cassidy Award, presented annually to the outstanding organ student. She was organist and music associate at First Baptist Church in Odessa for 13 years, organist and music associate at First Baptist Church in Longview for 27 years, and organist at Central Baptist Church in Carthage for 10 years. While at First Baptist in Longview, she also directed handbell choirs. She also served Methodist and Christian churches in Tyler as organist. She accompanied the Singing Men of East Texas and The CenturyMen on domestic and international tours. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Dorothy Perdue and Ruth Burks. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Harlan Hall, music minister emeritus at First Baptist in Longview; daughter Diana Sue Rice and her husband Mark; son Dale Eston; and grandson Justin Rice.
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