David Bicknell Hall

David “Dave” Bicknell Hall was born on December 27, 1945, in Chico, California, to Sankey and Jane (Bicknell) Hall.

From a young age, Dave’s love of sports was clear. He began in Little League as a member of the Hawks, advancing to Pony League and later to adult leagues, where he both played and coached. He also loved playing high school basketball in the off season. His sports heroes were Chico’s own George Maderos, Richie Ashburn of the Phillies, and Clay Dalrymple of the Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles.

Baseball remained a lifelong passion for Dave. After moving to Portland, Oregon, in 1995, he volunteered as a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, sharing his eye for talent and love of the game. He also dedicated time to raising funds for racing teams, including Richie Hearn and Jimmy Vasser, combining his passion for indy car racing with his entrepreneurial spirit.

Dave loved to fish and treasured time spent at the Doryland cabin each summer with his childhood pal, Ron Doryland. Losing Ron to cancer as a teenager remained one of his greatest heartaches. In his youth, Dave also worked seasonally in Chico’s almond orchards, lighting smudge pots on cold mornings. He always had a dog by his side, companions who became his loyal pair.
After graduating from Chico High, Dave attended Chico State University, where he was a member of the Lambda Pi fraternity. He proudly served in the United States Air Force Reserves for several years before beginning his professional career in the insurance industry. He continued in that field throughout his life while always staying busy with new business projects that kept him energized and connected.

Dave married Janice Cullison on Oct 11, 1969 and maintained a close relationship with his daughter Aimee throughout his life. Dave and Aimee especially loved the years while Aimee was in college, and for 10 years after, when they celebrated Daddy-Daughter weekends with Aimee’s sorority sisters and college roommates. Aimee and Dave traveled to New York and Boston, the Caribbean, and Australia together. They were father and daughter and good friends. In 1995, Dave settled in Lake Oswego, Oregon, where he lived the remainder of his life. Dave’s son Russell, from his 13 year marriage to Carol, was also in Oregon and they enjoyed attending Indy car races at PIR. He adopted daughter Taylor in 2000 and many of his happiest memories were his years raising Taylor. Dave took Taylor on a trip back East to visit his favorite baseball stadiums and they enjoyed visiting Hawaii together. Both Taylor and her mother, Wendy, remained very close to Dave in his final years.

Both Aimee and Taylor loved their father very much Both will miss their long phone calls with Dave, and will especially miss his laughter.

Dave is survived by his step-mother Tuula, sisters, Lori and Lisa, his daughters, Aimee and Taylor, his son, Russell, and his grandchildren, Olivia, Oscar, and Logan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sankey and Jane Hall, and step-father, Bill Meierdiercks.

A private celebration of life will be held in Chico on Saturday, October 11th, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please contact Aimee at 530-536-6348 for details.