Stephen Taylor Hall

Stephen Taylor Hall, 62, died June 7, 2022, in Green Valley, AZ.

Born June 8, 1960, in Chevy Chase, MD, Stephen was the son of the late David Hulbert Hall and Janet Taylor Hall. His early years were spent in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where he grew up with his brother David Endicott Hall and his late brother Jonathan Wycliffe Hall.  

During Stephen’s formative years as a child he spent his time with his brothers exploring the Haverford College Nature trail; skating at the Haverford Township Skatium ice rink (which their father helped approve the construction of); and summers at Camp Lanakila on Lake Morey in Fairlee Vermont, where his father had been a camper and where his mother worked as the camp secretary during Stephen’s years as a camper.

Stephen was a lover of ice hockey, playing until his late years.  He would spend hours at the local ice rink, a passion he passed onto his son, Dylan.  Stephen gained a love for the outdoors at a young age having spent 8 summers at camp Lanakila.  He would develop many lifelong friendships with his fellow campers and his counselors alike.  Many of his closest friends still work and are a part of the Aloha Foundation.

Stephen received his high school diploma from the Haverford Senior High School, continuing his education at Plymouth State University where he played hockey and studied history.  He would continue to indulge his curiosities long after his academic pursuits by continuing his father’s love for collecting books.  He amassed a large library and one of his favorite pastimes was reading the many books he inherited and collected to his two sons.

Stephen spent his early twenties in Philadelphia, where he worked on the Philadelphia stock exchange.  He would spend his summers at camp Lanakila as a counselor.  He was the head of Woodside (one of the camp’s units) and was also the head of boating, being a counselor for 4 summers.  

Stephen would go on many tours with the Grateful Dead, following them from city to city.  If there ever was a deadhead, it was Stephen.  He would continue to go to shows at Red Rocks Amphitheater and Folsom Field in Boulder.  He had a deeply rooted passion for music and for comradery that came from his many trips with beloved friends.

When Stephen was 24, he began his tenure at Moguls Mountain Travel.  He worked alongside his business partner, Bruce Rosard and his many other colleagues for 21 years.  He would go on to lead countless trips around North America, South America, Europe, and too many to count ‘destinations (as he would often say).’

In 1987, he met his future wife, Lisa van Leuwen at one of the trips he was leading in Sugarbush Village, Vermont.  They began dating in 1988, and as Lisa was finishing her degree at Springfield College, they would take turns driving to one another until she graduated in 1991.  After a memorable trip to Big Sur in California, Stephen proposed.  They were wed on June 22, 1991 in West Dover, Vermont and moved to Boulder Colorado that year.  In 1992, Stephen and Lisa moved to their home in Sunshine Canyon, 7 miles up the mountain from town.  Tending to their remote home, nestled in the mountains, was one of Stephen’s passions, taking after his mother’s love for botanical work.

Stephen and Lisa had their first son, Tucker, on June 17, 1994.  Dylan, their second, was born two years later on June 19, 1996 in the same delivery room.  Stephen loved his family and was an astounding father and husband.  Stephen would help instill a love for hockey, travel and golf  in Dylan, and helped foster Tucker’s passions for jump rope, history/politics and architecture.  He would take his family on many trips (business related or not), passing along his passion for skiing and exploring to his two sons.  

Stephen and Lisa were superparents.  Many of their sons’ friends were regulars at the van Leuwen-Hall residence (mind you it was not a convenient place to get to).  Many would call Stephen and Lisa their parents due to their unending support and kindness.  Stephen had numerous people who fondly called him dad, or pops, or a loud “STEVE!” which became a cherished call.  He was a father to many and took on this responsibility with love and joy.

Stephen would spend 8 additional summers with his wife and sons in Vermont, working at the Horizons Day Camp (part of the Aloha Foundation).  His training following tours in his younger years came in handy as many of those summers he would drive his sons back and forth from Colorado to Vermont and back.  He worked in the Sailing, Boating and Tripping departments at Horizons day camp and would spend weekends with his sons eating pizza on Lake Morey.  He would spend ample amounts of time with his family on the east coast during this time, which he was extremely thankful for.

Stephen set about creating his own ski travel company, SkiGroup.net in 2007.  He would see the company through to its present day, through the ups and downs of recessions and pandemics.  He would mentor many in his career at both Moguls and SkiGroup.  He would earn the title, “Chief of Karma” and was known by many as one of the greats in the skiing industry.  Over his long and successful career, he skied at 50+ resorts.  If you ever miss Stephen go to almost any mountain and ski a few trails for him.  Chances are he has skied that trail with his many friends, family, two sons and loving wife.  His spirit can always be felt in the mountains.

Stephen would see his son, Tucker graduate from the Southern California Institute of Architecture, and his son Dylan graduate from the Metropolitan State University in Denver.  He would regularly visit Tucker in Los Angeles with the rest of the family, and grew a fondness for the city.  His presence can be felt in Laurel Canyon, where his idols created his favorite tunes and he relished visiting; the arts district where he befriended many of the baristas and restaurateurs; and up the 1 in Malibu, where he spent many days with loved ones and feeling free.  Dylan began working with Stephen while he was in school.  After many years working together, they started a business together in 2021, MountainGolf.  Their collaboration, and his final days as president at SkiGroup saw the end of Stephen’s tremendous career, Dylan learning alongside many of Stephen’s closest friends and colleagues.

Committed to his community in Sunshine, he was a volunteer firefighter, a member of the Sunshine Historic Society, helped with many community events and would offer aid to many neighbors during the fires and floods the mountain community faced.  A fervent hippie at heart, he would help tend to the properties in Sunshine, clearing brush and protecting the forests from wildfire.  He was a life-long adamant recycler which he gained from his father.  

Stephen was a voracious collector and reader.  His library collection was an amalgamation of his father’s, late brother’s and the countless books he bought for his two sons.  Despite his huge collection of literature, old skis, and oriental rugs, he avidly donated.  One of his favorite past times was driving his Saab full to the brim to the hard to recycle or to the goodwill.  Stephen went out of his way to care for his neighborhood, community and our collective future.

Stephen was a passionate follower of politics, undoubtedly inherited in part from his father.  Stephen recollects in the obituary that he wrote for his father that “Dave reveled in the fact that elections were held in his garage for many years in his home precinct in Ardmore.”  Stephen found pride in continuing his father’s passion and subscribed to 15 newspapers/journals (that we know of), and imprinted on his sons the importance of advocacy and political engagement.  He made many donations and contributions to his favorite radio station, NPR (CPR, Colorado Public Radio specifically).

Stephen was a lover of engines of all sorts.  Planes, trains, cars, tanks, construction equipment, and especially his beloved chainsaw.  One prized possession of his was his famous ‘88 Saab, which he had for 28 years.  270,000 miles later, countless trips later, he donated his beloved companion to NPR (CPR).  His dream car was always a Porsche 911.

Stephen would be a supportive brother and son to his parents and brothers.  He regularly visited his father at the Bellingham Retirement Community in West Chester, Pennsylvania until his death in 2011.  After his brother, Jonathan became ill, Lisa stepped in as his caregiver, and Stephen helped support them.  They welcomed him into their home as Jonnie became more and more sick until his death on October 29, 2013.  He would continue to visit his mother and her dear friends in Newton Square, Pennsylvania.  In 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown, Stephen learned that he had throat cancer.  He would go through Chemo, and radiation to come out the otherside healthy and free of cancer.  During this time, he and his mother supported one another calling one another almost everyday.  Once Stephen’s health improved, and Janet knew Stephen was healthy, she died later that year.  

Stephen moved to Green Valley, Arizona with his wife Lisa to take care of her mother in October of 2020.  Stephen would continue to indulge his passion for golf, making a hole in one the day before his birthday on June 7, 2021.  His final days were spent working hard as ever, but still supportive and optimistic.  In his office, he had written out these goals and placed them prominently so he could see them daily.  

Regular friend contact.  Regular family contact.  Minimize storage.  Regular golf, bike, gym.  Be an exceptional dad.  Be an exceptional husband.  Be an exceptional brother.  Be an exceptional son-in-law.  

One can only guess how many more goals he was able to check off in his full, happy, extraordinary, and passionate life.  He is an example to follow, let us carry his light to help brighten the ever darkening world.

Stephen began facing health problems related to his cancer treatments in January of 2022.  His underlying autoimmune disorder and other health issues caused his health to deteriorate rapidly.  He died peacefully in bed with his wife with hospice care in the morning on Thursday, July 7, 2022.  He left this world a proud, thankful, strong, supportive, and caring friend, husband, father, mentor, and family member.  

His family plot in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Wellesley, Massachusetts, was a place he visited regularly.  During his mother’s Eulogy, he said “This grave stone has been the site of many tears over the years.  Tears shed for my grandparents, my father, my brother Jonathan, my aunt Nancy.  And now my mother. But this gravesite has also been the scene of countless visits, reflections, and joy.  Today we’ll experience all of the above.”  A pilgrimage many of us must make is to his family plot, one of his favorite places on earth.  To respect the tremendous sacrifice and love his family gave to him, and in return, Stephen bestowed onto all of us in more ways than we will ever know. Recount all of the joys, the troubles, the highs, the lows, the laughs, and the tears, and be thankful that we had Stephen in our lives through all of the above.  Stephen was so much to so many that he most certainly was all of the above.

Stephen is survived by his wife Lisa van Leuwen-Hall, his sons Tucker van Leuwen-Hall, and Dylan van Leuwen-Hall.

Stephen is also survived by his brother David Hall and his wife Heidi.  He leaves 10 nieces and nephews; Tasha Hall, Lydia Hall, Agatha Hall.  As Stephen wished, his ashes will be buried in the Sunshine Cemetery, date pending.