Robert C. Hall, 67, of Arlington Heights, a retired American Airlines pilot, died of cancer Thursday, Sept. 20, in Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Born in Concord, Mass., Mr. Hall grew up on a farm near an airfield, which inspired his passion for flying. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War as a combat engineer building bridges. He also took flying lessons. After completing his service with the Army in 1955, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he learned how to fly. In 1965, Mr. Hall left the Navy to become a pilot with American Airlines. He was based in Chicago and flew both domestic and international flights. “He spent his career doing something that he loved,” said his wife, Joan. During the 1970s he moved to Hampshire to become one of the first residents of the Casa De Aero community, which catered to pilots. His new home allowed him to restore a single-engine Fairchild 24, which he also flew. He moved to Arlington Heights in 1983 and retired from the airline in 1987. Mr. Hall was a member of the American Airlines Silver Stripes Club, of which he served as president in the early 1990s. Mr. Hall also was a skilled woodworker who created sleighs, pens, a rocking horse and a cradle. “He had a great passion for life. He was a tough, brave fighter,” his wife said of his three-year battle with cancer. Other survivors include a daughter, Donna Madsen; a stepdaughter, Christina Riek; a stepson, Joshua Riek; and two grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in Glueckert Funeral Home, 1520 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights.
