We are saddened to report the death of a “10-4 family” member and friend – Bill Hall, Jr. Bill Hall, Jr. (50) died in a motorcycle wreck on October 10 near his yard in San Antonio, Texas. His baby blue and white “El Patrón” Kenworth was featured on our cover back in October of 2009, photographed in front of the just-opened and now iconic Cowboy’s Stadium.
Having been trucking in and around Texas for four generations, Bill Hall Jr. and his family have been well-known in the trucking and construction industry in San Antonio since the 1940s. Bill’s grandfather started out as a fruit vendor on the side of the road in San Antonio, Texas. “My family has been in San Antonio since it was Mexico,” Bill once said. When Highway 90 was being built, Bill’s grandfather Antonio Trevino bought some trucks and started hauling gravel in the late 1940s. Later, Antonio taught his two son-in-laws, Bill Sr. and Frank, to drive, and then both started their own company. Over the years, most of the family got into trucking, and most of the family worked for Frank. When Frank retired, everyone went their separate ways and started their own companies.
Bill Hall Jr. was born on July 13, 1963 to parents Bill Sr. and Connie Hall. Bill Jr. started his company, Bill Hall Jr. Trucking, in 1989. At the time of his death, his company included 128 trucks and several different divisions – but most of them pulled end-dumps and belly-dumps in and around Texas. All of Bill’s trucks are painted with a distinctive light blue color, and all of his trailers are painted white. Bill’s favorite truck was always the Kenworth W900, and he had just bought ten more of them. The other trucks in his fleet include Kenworth T-800s and Peterbilts.
Justin Hall, Bill’s only son, has worked with his father since he was born, and at just 26 years old, he will now become the CEO of the company and run the operation with his mother. Justin started out working on the trucks, greasing the trucks and cleaning the trucks, and eventually went on to run each of the divisions – not an easy feat at only eighteen years old. Justin had to earn the driver’s respect, especially the older ones, but he has always been a hard worker, so that was not very tough for him to do. Now, he must learn to be the leader, and try to fill the large shoes left behind by his father.
Bill Hall, Jr. was never intent to rest on his laurels and continually worked to expand his company, citing, “You have to always keep growing to keep going” – a philosophy he has deeply engrained in Justin, who vows to continue growing the business. Married to his wife Frances for 32 years, Bill is survived by their daughter Nikki (30) and her husband Richard, their son Justin (26) and his fiancé Sylvia, and six granddaughters. He also leaves behind two sisters – Barbara Rodriguez and her husband Sammy, and Cherri Martinez and her husband Jose.
The family had a private service on Friday, October 18, and then held a company-wide BBQ on Saturday, October 19, at the yard in San Antonio for all of Bill’s drivers, office employees, customers and friends. After cremation, Bill’s remains will be laid to rest in the cemetery next to Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish, which is located just across the street from the truck yard. A location, as Justin put it, “Close enough for Bill to keep an eye on his family and fleet.” Bill Hall, Jr. will be missed by all who knew him, including all of us here at 10-4 Magazine. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire family.