Many happy returns as Tudy Hall's family comes back for 100th birthday

Marie "Tudy" Hall is one of the First Ladies of medicine in Du Quoin whose husband, the late Dr. Byford Hall, still made house calls in the 1950s and 60s from his North Washington Street office where dentist Dr. Richard Weinberg now practices.

Mrs. Hall turns 100 on Thursday, Sept. 26 and an intimate family and friends reception at her Du Quoin home will bring together she and children Byford Hall Jr. of Gainesville, Fla., Janice Rosenfeld of Tuscaloosa, Ala. and Jim Hall of Craig, Colo.

Mrs. Hall is what's known as a "life master" at the bridge card game and there are few of them around. It is the gold standard in tournament bridge and mirrors an era of social graces and propriety in this city when card clubs and community organizations were double the number they are today.

Mrs. Hall was among the group of great doctors' wives in this community.

Mrs. Hall was married to the late Byford Inman Hall who was born on April 11, 1910 in Broughton, Ill. to Dr. and Mrs. Inman I. Hall. After the death of his father in 1921, his mother and her four children moved to Carbondale. Byford was graduated from Southern Illinois Normal University in 1933.

He and Tudy, of Salem, Ill., were married June 9, 1934 and then he attended Chicago Medical School, graduating in 1939. He practiced medicine in Pinckneyville in 1940 and moved to Du Quoin in 1942.

He began taking time off from his practice in November 1942 to serve in the Medical Corps of the 82nd Airborne Division until his discharge in September 1946.

He belonged to the Perry County and Illinois Medical Societies and was a charter member of the American Academy of General Practice. His other interest were the Masonic Lodge, IOOF and Ainad Temple Consistory. He was also a past exalted ruler of the Elks Lodge.

Dr. Hall died on Aug. 28 1978.