Mrs. Hall: ‘There are hundreds of things I miss’

The loss of Bakersfield’s “forever mayor” still haunts family, but linking his name to the university he loved helps heal

By California State University, Bakersfield

October 20^th, 2020

In the two and a half years since her husband’s passing, Lavonne Hall is never far from reminders of former Mayor Harvey Hall and his warmth, generosity and the impact he had – and continues to have – on the people of his beloved Bakersfield.

It is there in his office at Hall Ambulance, which she has come to occupy as president and CEO.

It is there in the emails, calls and messages she receives from friends – even strangers – inquiring how she and the family are doing.

Coach Barnes and former Bakersfield Mayor, Harvey Hall

And it is there in Hall’s passion for basketball – particularly CSUB basketball – which he shared with his family: daughter, Amy, who played and coaches, and granddaughter, Skyler, who was just 6 weeks old when she attended her first Roadrunner basketball game.

“Amy wanted to go to the game,” Mrs. Hall recalled. “So she brought little Skyler. She would go with Harvey and I when the team moved to the arena downtown to play. She had definite memories of that. One time, a basketball flew in her lap and she got pizza all over the ball.”

Hall’s spirit was so big it could fill the Icardo Center. So big, in fact, that his family is giving it a little more room to spread out on campus.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, Mrs. Hall joined CSUB President Lynnette Zelezny for the groundbreaking of the Harvey L. Hall Family Plaza, a major project that will improve the appearance outside of the Icardo Center and serve as a place where families and fans can meet and socialize before games and other events. The focal point of the plaza will be a bronze statue of Rowdy, the Roadrunners’ mascot.

“CSUB is so grateful to the Hall family for the construction of the Harvey L. Hall Family Plaza,” said President Zelezny. “The mayor was the face of our community and CSUB Basketball’s biggest fan. The plaza will do for CSUB and our community what Mayor Hall always did with such flair: Make people feel welcome and bring us all together in celebration and good cheer.”

Mr. and Mrs. Hall with former CSUB President, Dr. Horace Mitchell

Mrs. Hall echoed the president.

“After his passing, I really wanted to do something to have his name be part of the university,” she said, noting that the mayor understood the importance of a vibrant, growing university for the future of the region.

“He was a season ticket holder, for at least 35 years. He enjoyed going to the games, he enjoyed traveling with the team. And he really enjoyed interacting with the players. He liked that athletes would come to Bakersfield from different places and stay and put down roots. The university was important to him in those ways.”

And that love of the university carries through to the Hall family, which is still coming to grips with Mayor Hall’s death In May of 2018. Hall fell ill from a mysterious neurodegenerative condition, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and passed away “two weeks and seven hours” after his diagnosis, Mrs. Hall said.

“We didn’t have a chance to say the goodbyes you want to say,” she said, her voice strained with emotion.

“It’s been very difficult. It’s hard for my family, but we’ve been very blessed. First of all, we have each other. My Hall Ambulance family here have taken good care of us. Coming to work has been good. People will call or call the office and say, ‘I was just thinking about Mayor Hall the other day and wanted to check in with you.”

One of those good friends is Dr. Thomas Wallace, vice president for Student Affairs at CSUB.

“Dr. Wallace is great,” Mrs. Hall said. “He will send quotes or Bible verses out of the blue. It’s good to know that after two and a half years, people have not forgotten. He was loved and that support rolls over to us.”

Dr. Wallace returns the affection to the Hall family.

“Mayor Hall and Lavonne exemplify everything you look for in a model town-gown relationship. We miss seeing Mayor Hall at our sporting events, but Lavonne carries on the tradition and support with honor and pride. We appreciate all they do for CSUB.”

Mr. and Mrs. Hall’s connection to CSUB goes back to the days when their daughter, Amy, was growing up and participating in – and later helping to coach - summer basketball camps. At Taft College, she played for Greg McCall, a former CSUB national champion and now the coach of the women’s basketball team.

And then the Halls developed a close relationship with former CSUB President Horace Mitchell.

“I think one of the things I admired about President Mitchell is he really brought the community in. And President Zelezny is carrying that on. I can’t imagine taking on that role and so soon after she arrived, the pandemic hit. I think she’s done a wonderful job at keeping the students grounded and on the right path. She’s an advocate for women, the university and higher education and has acclimated to Bakersfield really well.”

And if there is one thing Mrs. Hall knows, it’s Bakersfield. In the city to which her husband devoted much of his life, Mrs. Hall feels his presence everywhere, especially in the office she now occupies at Hall Ambulance downtown. She used to work a few miles away, running the garage and repair side of the business. There was a direct line between their two offices, which he used regularly, just to say hello to his wife of 28 years.

“There are hundreds of things I miss. That’s hard. I think the family just misses the daily interactions. He was a big hand holder. I miss that a lot.”

Mrs. Hall: ‘There are hundreds of things I miss’

Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease: Mrs. Hall’s quest for a cure

In May of 2018, former Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall fell ill with a neurocognitive condition so rare that it often goes undiagnosed. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rapidly progressive, invariably fatal neurodegenerative disease. The estimated annual incidence in many countries, including the United States, has been reported to be about one case per million population.

“He had some tests and luckily his neurologist recognized something was going on,” said Mrs. Hall. “We were going to take him to the Mayo Clinic, but he got sick too fast.”

Even in her grief, Mrs. Hall knew two things: She had to spread awareness about Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease, and she would rely on the people of Bakersfield – known for their generosity – to help her do it.

Mrs. Hall – who sits on the board of the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation - has fielded a team the past two years for a 5(k) walkathon to raise support and awareness of the disease as part of a nationwide fundraiser. The name of Hall’s mighty group? Team Big H – as in Harvey Hall.

“Bakersfield was the top fundraising city last year. Fundraising is a challenge this year especially, because of the pandemic. We did it virtually but had planned to do it on campus this year. So now we’re hoping we’ll be able to do it at the Harvey L. Hall Family Plaza next year.”

Even though the fundraiser was virtual this year, Hall’s team still managed to raise $77,000 for the rare disease.

“The foundation provides education, awareness, family support and research grants,” Mrs. Hall said. “Because there’s so little known about the disease, families faced with the diagnosis don’t know about it. But that’s why we’re here. People can call and get pointed in right direction.”