Atty. Thomas J. Hallal, Jr., age 71, passed away on December 24, 2024, surrounded and cared for beautifully by family and friends, resting peacefully under the warm glow of his beloved Christmas lights.

Born the proud son of Thomas and Madeline (Clark) Hallal, Tom grew up with his three sisters and countless cousins in the Flint neighborhood of Fall River, Massachusetts. He graduated from B.M.C. Durfee High School, Southern Massachusetts University (now UMass Dartmouth), and finally New England Law, where he earned, with highest honors, his Juris Doctor.

He was a classic attorney through and through who advocated for every client with the exact mix of intellectual eloquence and dogged work ethic that you would want from your lawyer. His counsel was trusted, and his professional reputation preceded him.

Tom played golf, chess, and, of course, backyard bocce, with a similar level of intensity, consistently challenging his family members and friends to their breaking points and sometimes beyond. He was a purveyor of American history and the arts and loved to take anyone who was willing to "experience a little culture" to Symphony Hall, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Boston Athenaeum, the New Bedford Whaling Museum for the annual Moby Dick marathon, Trinity Rep for A Christmas Carol, and Faneuil Hall for the reading of the Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July.

He was a brilliant friend, a trusted confidant, a man of his word, and also somehow the funniest person any of us has ever known.

Tom is survived by: his loving sisters, Susan Carey (husband Jeffrey) of Fall River, Kathleen Raposa (husband Richard) of Somerset, and Barbara Ann Strollo (husband Ralph) of Fall River; his adoring nieces and nephew, Shelly Raposa, Ralph Strollo, Kristine Rausch, Jenniffer Carey, and Caitlyn Carey; many cousins, all of whom were crazy about him; and his Auntie Alice, whom he visited every December to make sure she was still decorating her mantle for Christmas.

Following a visitation period on Tuesday, December 31st, in our Fall River Chapel, Tom was buried at Notre Dame Cemetery also in Fall River. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Tom's memory to the Fall River Historical Society, 451 Rock Street, Fall River, MA 02720; 508-679-1071.

Family members are always grateful for relatives and friends wishing to make in-person expressions of kindness and support. If you were unable to do so, because of health concerns or any other reason, all are urged to express their sympathy online or by mail. To ensure that said condolences and/or sympathy cards reach the family, please always make sure that submissions online are made directly through the funeral home's website (www.silvafaria.com) and not through a third party. Thank you!