‘Kindness and servant leadership.’ John R. Hall embodied a life of generosity.
No legacy looms larger over our community than that of John R. Hall, who passed away on Thanksgiving, just shy of his 89th birthday. John’s passing on that particular day poignantly reminds us of the profound gratitude we have for all he did for our community, region and nation, creating a better world for all of us.
You didn’t have to know John long before you learned how much he loved his alma mater, Vanderbilt University. John was a defensive lineman for the Commodores during his student days, serving as co-captain of the football team. But John being John, he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in chemical engineering while earning the distinction of being named Vanderbilt’s first Academic All-American.
While John played lineman, he would go on to quarterback countless civic endeavors in which his intellect and ability to bring people together advanced many good causes – at the Blue Grass Community Foundation (BGCF), KET, Prichard Committee, Lexington Public Library, UK’s Markey Cancer Center, Transylvania University, Keeneland, Vanderbilt and more. It would be hard to find a significant charitable or civic endeavor in Lexington, and many other communities, that doesn’t have John’s fingerprints all over it.
I came to know John during his decade of service as chair of the board of directors of BGCF. I first met John when he interviewed me for the job I now have at the Community Foundation. In the 12 years since, he never stopped investing in me or the organization. John could have easily rested on his laurels and taken on his leadership role at BGCF as a purely honorary endeavor, but to know John is to know he did nothing halfway. His gifts were many, but his incredible ability to connect with anyone and his abiding humanity combined with a commitment to hard work made John truly special.
While John found countless ways to grow generosity in our community, it is his powerful personal example of philanthropy that continues to inspire so many of us. John was committed to the transformative power of collective generosity, understanding that when givers, regardless of the size of their gifts, come together to invest in our community they can make an immense impact. He also understood that corporate CEOs hold a unique position to rally others to a good cause.
John shared his passion for making a difference with his beloved wife, Donna, who survives him. John and Donna believe that everyone’s life can be improved by giving back to others. In that spirit, they successfully led the effort to establish an endowment for BGCF365, designed to encourage the next generation of philanthropists. In just four years, more than $100,000 has been awarded by young, local philanthropists to dozens of Lexington nonprofits – just one example of John’s legacy of leadership and generosity. It was his unshakeable confidence in the importance of our mission – compounded by the infusion of young donors – that helped fuel BGCF’s substantial growth.
John gained national prominence and reached the pinnacles of corporate success as chairman and CEO of Ashland Oil, receiving countless accolades, numerous honorary degrees, and election to many corporate boards. Yet, we remember John not for the many titles and awards he earned but instead for the character, dignity and integrity reflected in every aspect of his life. John could have used his considerable skills in business to seek purely private profit and gain. Instead, he leveraged those skills to enrich the lives of others. John inspired us by his kindness and servant leadership.
Likeability can be such an elusive quality to quantify, but John had it in spades. He had an undeniable twinkle in his eyes. It was easy to see that giving back truly gave John joy.
John was constant. Like so many who knew him, I will miss his friendship and counsel but take comfort in knowing John lives on in all the lives he touched and in all the good he did. John’s was a life well lived, and we can celebrate that we are the beneficiaries of his incredible journey. That’s something for which we can all give thanks.
Lisa Ashner Adkins, JD is the president/CEO of the Blue Grass Community Foundation.
This story was originally published December 2, 2021 at 10:25 AM.