Stephen Hall

Stephen “Steve” Sterling Hall, passed away from this world on September 23, 2025, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Steve was born August 26, 1937, in the District of Columbia, to John Sterling and Elizabeth Veronica (Mihalik) Hall, and lived most of a long and happy life in Burke, Virginia.

Steve graduated from St John’s College High School when it was a military school, gaining some of the incredibly close friendships that lasted a lifetime. He attended Virginia Military Institute for a year before enrolling at Georgetown University, from which he graduated in 1961. Always fit and athletic, he played on the intramural football championship team while at Georgetown.

Steve served for two years as an Armor Officer in the U.S. Army in 1962 and 1963 (foreshadowing his son John’s later service as an Armor Officer as well). A story John only heard a few years ago included Steve serving on a landing craft ready to invade Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis. Gladly, an invasion did not occur, but being one of the few with experience on the water, Steve found himself tending many a sea-sick fellow soldier on that boat.

Steve had a long career in Real Estate Advertising, working for the Washington Star and retiring from the Fairfax Journal. He was also an avid runner who could outrun his boys until well into his 50’s. Most loved by Steve was spending time with his friends and his family. For several decades, every summer you could find Steve spending time with his extended family at the family vacation home in Ocean City, Maryland. He was especially proud of his two sons John and Tom who went on to attend college at West Point and the University of Virginia, respectively. Steve did not travel outside the Mid-Atlantic much, but he did for his family, including trips to Beijing, Hong Kong, and many to Colorado.

Steve outlived many of his friends, but gladly had the friendship of John “Murph” Murphy, who is among the few to survive him and helped him stay active into his 80’s. In 2022, Steve suffered from a broken hip and the rapid onset of dementia, which robbed him of his memory but not his social and friendly personality. Steve came to Colorado to be near his son John during these final years before his passing.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, John Sterling and Elizabeth, his sister Sandra Moore, and his former spouse and mother to his two sons, Sylvia Ruth Coll.

Steve is survived by his two sons John and Tom; four grandchildren Sarah, Aleric, Oliver and Alexandra; and his long-time companion Barbara Barbour. Steve’s only surviving sibling is Sister Suzanne Hall, SNDdeN.

A Memorial Service and burial will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at Columbia Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Steve’s beloved alma maters where he often returned for reunions to rejoin his long-time friends: St John’s College High School or Georgetown University.