Joseph John Hall, formerly of Garth House, Reagill, died peacefully at Rampkin House, Appleby, surrounded by his family, at the age of 87.
Joe was born in 1933 to Maggie and John Hall. The family lived at Hegdale, Rosgill, before moving to the family home at Bells View, Reagill.
When Joe was three, his family moved to Dunkirk, Reagill, but Joe’s grandmother did not want him to leave, so Joe continued to live at Bells View.
Joe had four siblings, Hilda, Bill, Mary and Dot.
Joe was educated at the village school, which was where he met his sweetheart, Francis Elizabeth Monkhouse, known as Betty.
They were married in May 1958, at Crosby Ravensworth Church and made their home at Garth House, Reagill, a smallholding where Betty was brought up.
They went on to have four children, Jacqueline, Kathleen, Douglas and Tracey.
Joe continued to work on the farm for his father and an uncle.
Joe had a very strong faith and attended Sleagill Chapel from when it was built in 1954 until he left Reagill.
He always made everyone feel very welcome, especially at any special services and always did the vote of thanks.
In the 1960s, he began to teach at Sunday School at Crosby Ravensworth Methodist Chapel and went on to become superintendent.
He would often transport children from nearby villages to and from Sunday School, as well as his own grandchildren.
Joe was the life and soul of Reagill. He was always in charge of lighting the bonfire each year and he was heavily involved in the organisation of the Christmas party in the old school building, helping to organise the games, give the vote of thanks and three cheers for Father Christmas.
Joe was a very enthusiastic singer and sang with passion at chapel.
He also organised carol singing around the village of Reagill and to the surrounding farms for two nights every year, helping to raise money for National Children’s Homes.
His pride and joy were his Morris 12 motorcar and Rudge Ulster motorcycle.
He would often take his grandchildren out on these, which they loved, and transported a number of brides on their wedding day in his car.
Living on a smallholding and working on a farm with his father and uncle, Joe also farmed.
His main interest was sheep and he would often be seen at the sheep sales buying Leicesters, which were Betty’s favourites, but he often bought Masham gimmer lambs from Hawes auction.
He would buy the better-quality ones from the top pens and then he and Betty would sell them with lambs at foot at Appleby New Fair sales at the end of May.
His keen interested in Masham lambs resulted in him being asked to judge the lambs at Hawes auction.
He would also often have a few pet lambs in the kitchen by the Rayburn and children from the village would often pop up to bottle feed them.
Haytiming was a huge family affair when all the children, their partners and his grandchildren would go along to lend a hand and get involved.
Joe saw an opportunity to try something new and with the construction of the M6 nearby, bought a tipper wagon to lead material to the motorway.
In the 1970s, after work on the M6 stopped, he went to work on the Cleckheaton bypass, which is now part of the east-west motorway.
He lodged down there with his lorry friends, coming home at weekends.
After work was completed there, he returned to lead out of Harrisons Limeworks (now Hanson’s).
He led quarry products out of Shap Beck quarry all over Cumbria, southern Scotland and North Lancashire. He loved this job and enjoyed the banter with his trucker friends, who referred to him as Rocky Joe.
Joe continued to work on the farm and drive his wagon for many years.
As the years caught up with him, he stopped farming, but continued to drive his wagon for nearly 50 years, until the age of 78.
His sweetheart, Betty, died suddenly aged 62 in 1999. Joe was heartbroken, but coped with it by carrying on working. He eventually retired in 2011, but found life difficult.
While recovering in hospital, after having an accident at home, Joe got the devastating news, on 12th Januar,y 2016, that his daughter, Kathleen, had been killed in a road traffic collision.
Joe moved into a care home following his accident, before moving to his flat in Appleby. Joe is survived by his children Jackie, Dougi and Tracey, 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
