Jack of All Trades with a Passion for Carpentry and Writing
Sid Hall ’77
July 29, 2025, in Tuftonboro, New Hampshire.
Sidney Leavitt Hall Jr. was bornin 1951 to Sidney and Betty Hall. He lived most of his life in Brookline, New Hampshire, with a few years in Portland, Oregon, where he studied classics at Reed and where he learned to pronounce Oregon correctly.
Sid ran a printing business called Stonehouse Press and published a local conservation newsletter called Our Place. He was an editor, typesetter, and book designer and publisher.
In 1995, Sid founded Hobblebush Books and Hobblebush Design. He then married Margaret Hall and had two children, yet still found time to study Greek, Latin, German, Russian, and French; play the drums in a rock band; and tour Europe, paying his way by playing the autoharp.
A self-described a “jackass of all trades,” Sid always loved carpentry and writing. He wrote columns and articles in local newspapers, and he authored four books of poetry and a memoir (in addition to editing a history of Brookline).
In 2015, Sid was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Over 10 years, he went from walking with a cane to riding on a motorized chair named Donkey. He often pointed out that the letters ALS stand for: “American Lobster Society,” of which he was a proud member.
As Sid said, ALS concentrates the mind. He reasoned that while he couldn’t control his body, there was no reason to give up control over his mind. The answer for him was “a life of mind.” He liked to think one should read the best books, worship Bach, watch strong movies, eat great food, make mischief and also, read Mark Twain at every opportunity.
There were many difficult days, but also wonderful people who kept Sid going, including family, friends, and dedicated caregivers. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, and two children, Anne-Marie Palmieriand Nicholas Hall.
![Photo of Professor David Sacks [history 1986–2015]](https://www.reed.edu/reed-magazine/in-memoriam/assets/images/David-Sacks-obit-photo.jpg)
