‘A Tyler icon’: Longtime volunteer honored for ‘legendary’ service to Tyler community

Published 5:45 am Friday, January 7, 2022

Verna Hall believes “you always get more out of volunteering than you put in.”

Hall, who has been serving the community of Tyler for over 50 years, was honored Thursday evening for her volunteer service at the annual Winter Gala benefiting the Tyler Rose Museum.

“Verna Hall, what can you say,” said Patrick Willis, a Tyler Rose Museum board member. “She’s a Tyler icon. Her volunteer service is legendary in our community.”

Willis read a quote from Audrey Hepburn: “I never think of myself as an icon. What’s in other people’s minds is not mine, I just do my thing.” After reading the quote, Willis said, “Aren’t we all glad Verna Hall has done her thing for us all of these years.”

Willis said the Tyler Rose Museum, Texas Rose Festival and the Order of the Rose are thankful for Hall’s “tremendous” service.

When Hall found out she was being honored, she said, “I was shocked, surprised, I had no idea.”

Hall said she has been volunteering for more than 30 years with members of the Order of the Rose. Anything that needed to be done, Hall said she was always there to offer her help.

When she began volunteering for things such as the Tyler Rose Museum, Texas Rose Festival and the Order of the Rose, there were not a lot of people offering their time to help, Hall said.

The longer she volunteered with the Order of the Rose, the more responsible she became for things going on with the organization, Hall said. It got to the point where, “they thought of me as part of them, and I thought of myself as part of them.”

Hall has also served the community in many other ways including through the East Texas Crisis Center, the East Texas Food Bank, the East Texas Symphony Orchestra, United Way of Smith County and many more, Willis said.

Hall’s contributions, time volunteering and work in fundraising at United Way alone can be attributed to raising around $10 million dollars for the community, Willis added.

“Verna, we’re proud to honor you,” Willis said, as a room full of community members gathered in support of the honoree. “We’re proud to recognize your spirit because you’ve touched everybody in this room and you’ve touched countless more over the years.”

Hall said over the years, and even now, she stays busy volunteering and contributing to the community of Tyler whenever she can.

Being around people and enjoying their company is something Hall said she has always enjoyed. Volunteering is a way for her to do this while also giving back to the community and seeing plans that benefit the city come together, she added.

If there is something she feels she is capable of doing and is interested in that will help others, then she is glad to do it, Hall said.

“It’s been a real pleasure, and still is, to volunteer for the community,” Hall said.

View photos from Thursday night’s announcement of the 2022 Texas Rose Festival queen and her court here. The full story about Queen Molly Berry and her court can be read here. A photo gallery of community members enjoying the winter gala can be viewed here.