Mercedes C. Hall Obituary (1924 - 2010)

Maria de la Asuncion Mercedes Calero Yntriago was born the 2nd of 7 children on August 14, 1924, in Madrid, Spain. Her early years were challenging, as the Spanish Civil War broke out and the family felt its effects. Her father passed away when she was 15, and the family was scattered. She spent her teenage years working to support her brothers and sisters and fighting the legal and ecclesiastical sytem to get them placed in convent schools so they would have a home and education. From then on, she lived a life devoted to serving and caring for others. She became a nurse, and obtained employment with the Sedgwick family, who were in the foreign service. With them she traveled around the world for several happy years as she served as the nurse for their four children when they were small. Mercedes learned English while they were in Japan, a fact which to the end of her life stymied people who would try to guess her accent. It always maintained the flavor of the German, Austrian, Japanese, Australian, and other nationalities of the friends who helped her learn to speak English. While the Sedgwick family were in Tucson, Mercedes met Lewis Hall, an old college friend of Cabot Sedgwick. The rest, as they say, is history. They married on August 24, 1956. Their only child Mercy Hall Huss, was born the following August. Mercedes spent the rest of her life working indefatigably to support Lewis in his architectural and building career, and to make a wonderful home for their family. She was renownwd for culinary artistry and expertise, not the least of which was her delicious paella, which continued to be a family tradition up to her passing. When grandchildren came, her circle of love extended and they became her life, her passion, and her greatest joy. She passed peacefully beyond the veil on Sunday, March 21, 2010. She is survived by her daughter, Mercy, son-in-law Conrad, and grandchildren Joshua, Jored, and Christiana. We will sorely miss her daily acts of kindness, caring, and serving, which she performed to the last day of her life when she was reduced to getting sround with a walker. Though we are grateful to know that she is free from pain and sorrow, and reunited with so many loved ones who preceded her in death, we miss her - we love you so, Grandma -xo. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, March 26, 2010 at the Arrowsmith LDS chapel, 55 W. Arrowsmith Dr., Oro Valley.