Larry G. Hall, 49, a calculus instructor at The University of Memphis and Germantown High School, was buried Tuesday after dying in his home Saturday of an apparent heart attack.
Hall was in his first semester teaching at The U of M and was the chairperson of the math department at Germantown High School, where he had worked for six years.
Many of Hall's friends, colleagues and students expressed their thoughts Tuesday about Hall and his teachings.
David Williams, a student in Hall's Math 1321 class, said the father of one was a happy go-lucky guy.
"He was always cracking jokes, but was very dedicated to helping the students learn," Williams said. "He was a teacher who inspired students to ask a lot of questions."
Associate chair of the math department Thomas Caplinger broke the news to Hall's class Monday night.
"His students were just devastated," Caplinger said. "They appreciated his energy and knowledge. It's a real loss for us."
As Hall's U of M friends expressed their feelings, Germantown High School principal Ernest Chism also expressed his feelings for Hall.
"He's in the top two or three teachers I've ever worked with in my 31 years of teaching," Chism said.
Hall's wife Rosalie emphasized her husband's positive and upbeat attitude toward life and teaching.
"He loved teaching and found his niche in life," Mrs. Hall said.
She said her husband would come home beaming on Mondays and Wednesdays after teaching his calculus class.
"He was so happy and so proud to be teaching at the college level," Rosalie said. "He would come home and say, 'This is my favorite.'"
Many of Hall's students and friends were shocked by his unexpected death.
"He appeared to be in excellent health." Williams said. "He was just really excited about life."
Hall's funeral was held Tuesday morning at Memorial Park.
