Eric Hall, age 79, beloved husband of Deborah (Bentley) Hall, died peacefully in his home in Quincy, MA, on May 2, 2026.

Eric was born in Osterville, MA, on December 15, 1946, son of the late Andrew and Jean (Belyea) Hall. He attended Barnstable public schools where he excelled academically. After graduating from high school, Eric attended Tufts University, earning a degree in environmental engineering in 1969. After two years working for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Eric began a 33-year career working as an environmental engineer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He had an impeccable professional reputation, widely known as an individual willing to do the difficult “real” work of protecting the environment. Eric was driven by a deep and abiding commitment to protecting the planet and was recognized on multiple occasions by the EPA for his lasting and meaningful contributions to environmental protection. Upon retirement, he surprised everyone and spent two years as a groundskeeper at the Franklin Park Zoo.

Eric was deliberately understated about his professional accomplishments, preferring instead to focus on the full and active life he built outside of work. A devoted husband and father, Eric placed family at the center of his life. He never missed an opportunity to tell Deb, his loving wife of 55 years, how much he loved her. He always made time for his three children, Rachel, Amy, and Sarah, coaching most of the soccer and softball teams they played on and cheering from the sidelines when he wasn’t coaching. He consistently modeled for his children the value of friendship and laughter, but he also taught them the importance of legitimate outrage—and action—in response to injustices in the world.

As a grandfather to nine, Eric’s dedication to family continued, from making his grandkids laugh by acting like a kid himself to supporting them on the baseball field, at graduations, and anywhere else he could enjoy their presence. Thanks in large part to Deb’s love and support, Eric also pursued several recreational and volunteer pursuits. He ran 17 marathons and logged countless miles on his bicycle. He canoed, fished, gardened, and fed the birds, never managing to claim victory over the squirrels who taunted him year after year. And he believed in the importance of service. Eric volunteered at organizations such as the Charles River Watershed Authority, Bikes not Bombs, and the Wollaston Garden Club and was honored on several occasions for his long-term commitment to donating platelets at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The many who knew Eric—he delighted in connecting with people from all areas of his life—will remember, above all, his playful sense of humor. He loved a good joke and told them frequently, even the ones with the worst puns. He danced freely at parties and weddings and enjoyed more than anything spreading joy and making people laugh.

Eric is survived by Deb and multiple generations of his loving family: Rachel Walsh, Amy Hall, Sarah Hall, Dan Sullivan, Kristen Ploetz, Brad Arndt, Mike Feldman, Ian, Mia, Owen, and Liam Walsh, Nathan, Kieran, and Luke Feldman, Will and Lily Arndt, Dale Hall, Justine Sullivan, and Jane, Richard, Laura, and Brennan Clark.

The family would also like to thank the kind, compassionate individuals from Croi Health and Celtic Angels for the exceptional care and comfort they provided to both Eric and his family during his brief illness.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Neponset River Watershed Association in Eric’s name.

The family invites friends and family to join them for a celebration of life for Eric on Friday, May 8 from 4:30-8:30 at Brick and Beam Tavern, 705 Adams Street, Quincy, MA 02169.