Heather Hall had a lot of friends.
A few hundred of them filled the Cistern Yard at the College of Charleston on Sept. 19, most dressed in bright-colored clothing, to celebrate the education professor’s life.
Gathering beneath a grove of live oaks, friends and family sang, danced and eulogized the late professor and former public school teacher before a jazz band led a procession around the yard.
Hall, 51, died along with 15 others in a Sept. 3 accident in Lisbon when a cable-car known as a funicular broke loose and sped out of control down a hill. The education professor had traveled to Portugal for an academic conference.
Her death made international news, but particularly stunned the South Carolina education community, in which the fun-loving and adventurous teacher was well-known for her devotion to literacy efforts and the needs of people with disabilities.
Her husband, Ajay Sood, described his wife and the mother of his two children as “strong, fierce, independent — just a force that I don’t think we’ll see again.”
Many mourners marveled at the size of the crowd and just how many people Hall seemed to have befriended in Charleston, which made the ceremony a reunion of sorts for old chums.
Among those attending the event was Jacob Perlmutter, a friend who worked with Hall in the Charleston County School District and at the College of Charleston. Perlmutter was a groomsman at Hall’s wedding. He met his wife, Samantha, who was a bridesmaid, at the ceremony. He praised Hall as a “non-judgmental, positive” person who had an ability to forge intimate connections.
“She had energy, time and love for anyone she talked to,” said Perlmutter, the principal of Academic Magnet High School in North Charleston. “She was a very rare example of a heart-wide-open person.”
Haze McCrary also attended Hall’s wedding as a groomsman. He grew to be close with Hall and had fond memories of hanging out in her kitchen, chowing down on food and talking. McCrary said that Hall’s sweet ways and good vibes sometimes obscured the fact that she was also “wicked smart” and a “ruthless advocate” for anyone in need, especially children and people with disabilities.
Beyond helping people in the classroom, Hall volunteered with a number of organizations, including the Halsey Gallery of Contemporary Art, the Disabilities Board of Charleston County, and HEART: An Arts Inclusive Community, which works with artists with disabilities.
Members of HEART danced and sang during the ceremony, breaking moves before the backdrop of stately Randolph Hall. Hall’s daughter, Tula Sood, also performed a song in honor of her mother.
The teenager, dressed in a pink dress and eye-catching pink boots, remained remarkably composed as she belted out “The Last Time” by Charleston-based singer Carrie Ann Hearst, even while many in the crowd cried.
“This can’t be the last time I will see your face …” she sang in a voice reminiscent of Gillian Welch while guitarist Bill Carson strummed along.
Hall’s friend and fellow education professor Laura Brock also addressed the crowd, sharing anecdotes that included how Hall cheered her up in the face of a cancer diagnosis.
When Brock disclosed her illness during a walk with her friend, Hall asked what she could do.
“Make cancer fun,” Brock told her.
“I don’t know if I can do that, but I’ll try,” said Hall, who soon arranged a sunset sailboat ride for the two of them.
Listening to these stories were many of Hall’s former students, including a trio of young local teachers who had accompanied Hall on a study-abroad trip to Italy a few years ago when they attended the College of Charleston.
Among their memories of Hall was a shopping excursion in Florence in which Hall became a hard-nosed negotiator who haggled vendors for their best price, even while it poured rain.
“And they did lower the price,” said Erin Daly. “She convinced them!”
Added her friend and fellow teacher Grace Peterson, “If there was ever a problem, she was the one to fix it and she did it with joy.”
Sklyar Bodie, the remaining teacher, chimed in that Hall would make fast friends with just about anybody.
“You met her and it’s like you knew her forever,” said Bodie.
Other friends voiced similar sentiments. Fran Welch, dean of the School of Education at the College, recalled a special lunch she recently enjoyed with Hall and one of Hall’s former students.
Susan Jackson recalled how she met Hall when the young teacher was her tenant. Then she ran into her during an exercise class, and elsewhere around town, as Hall seemed to know everyone.
“You meet her, you don’t forget her,” Jackson said. “There’s just no way.”
Though Hall was a lot of fun, she had a serious side when it came to her job as an educator. She was proud to be a first-generation college graduate of the College of Charleston in 1997. Then she earned a master’s degree in education from The Citadel and a doctorate degree in education from the University of South Carolina.
Brock said people would be wise to follow her inspiring example when confronting challenges in life. Though red eyes and wet cheeks were in abundance at the College, Hall’s loved ones overwhelmingly communicated an uplifting message in her honor.
“Instead of mourning our loss, we made a decision to celebrate,” Brock said. “Instead of telling myself a story of how something has gone wrong, I could apply Heather’s ‘glass half-full filter’ and see that I already have everything I need.”
Hall’s family encourages those celebrating Hall’s life to donate to:
HEART: An Inclusive Arts Community, or,
The College of Charleston, which has created the Heather Hall Memorial Scholarship.