Leta Madeline Hall

Leta Hall passed away at her home in Silver Spring, Md., on Sunday, January 8, 2017
after a short but courageous battle with colon cancer. She was diagnosed just after
Thanksgiving but was dedicated to living her life as usual, as best she could,
regardless of her health situation.
Leta was born on the Fort Ord Army base outside Monterey, Calif. on December 31,
1962. She never collected the federal tax deduction that she generated that year,
regardless of her many discussions with her father on that topic. Leta traveled with
her family on military duties until 1968, when they settled in Silver Spring, and she
spent the remainder of her life in suburban Maryland. She was a proud graduate of
Montgomery Blair High School and remained a vocal supporter of the school’s
theater and robotics programs. Thereafter, Leta attended the University of Maryland
which left her with a zest for learning in all fields, especially history.
Leta’s professional career was in administrative support for a number of companies,
the most recent being Technology Service Corporation, headquartered in Arlington,
Va. As Corporate Administrator, she supported the CEO and Contracts Department
in several capacities.
Leta brought energy, enthusiasm, and stubborn dedication to all the creative
pursuits she joined including, but not limited to, American Revolutionary War re-
enactment.
As a singer, her soprano voice was part of the Metropolitan Chorus of Washington;
she was an annual on-stage participant in the city-wide “Messiah” sing-along at the
Kennedy Center. She was a regular soloist at various regional events promoting the
operas of Gilbert and Sullivan.
Leta was an irreplaceable member of the local community theater network, working
from her home base at Silver Spring Stage. As an actor, she was nominated for
awards from Washington Area Theatre Community Honors (WATCH) for her work as
Diane in “The Little Dog Laughed” and as Alma in “Taking Leave.” As a member of the
WATCH Board of Directors and Adjudication Coordinator (for eleven years), she
managed the judges who adjudicate the 100-plus productions of each WATCH
season.
As director, she helmed successful productions at Silver Spring Stage, Victorian Lyric
Opera Company, and elsewhere, taking shows to competitions across the mid-
Atlantic region. Her most recent directing effort was for the Georgetown Gilbert &
Sullivan Society: a vividly colorful resetting of “The Gondoliers” in Brooklyn and the
Caribbean Islands of the 1950s.
Leta was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church of Silver Spring for 48 years,
commencing with Sunday School attendance and lately serving as Usher and Lector.
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Despite being a nervous flyer, Leta loved to travel. She visited Western Europe,
Australia, and New Zealand, making new friends wherever she went. The New
Zealand trip combined her passions of travel and theater when she sang with a road
show group across the island.
Leta Hall was preceded in death by her mother, Ann Reichenbach Hall; her sister,
Sara Hall Thibodeau; and her stepmother, Audrey Perry Hall. She is survived by her
father, Charles R. Hall III, of Martinsburg, W. Va.; aunt Dorothy Reichenbach, of Rocky
River, Ohio; uncle John Reichenbach, of Mount Prospect, Ill.; six nieces and nephews;
and six great-nieces and -nephews. Friend and companion David Gorsline, of
Reston, Va., remains her biggest fan.
A memorial service will take place on Saturday, February 4, 2017, 11:00 AM, at
Grace Episcopal Church, 1607 Grace Church Road, Silver Spring, Maryland.