Obituary of Richard W. Hallberg

Richard W. Hallberg, 89, of Lakewood, passed away at 8:10 p.m. Monday, April 3, 2017 in his home following a brief illness as a result of a stroke. Richard was born on March 23, 1928 in Jamestown, the son of Helge J. and Mildred Johnson Hallberg. A Lakewood resident since 1955, he was a 1946 graduate of Jamestown High school and grew up on Peterson St., in Jamestown, where he played baseball at every opportunity with his friends. He later played on the semi-professional teams in Jamestown and had once aspired to play catcher in the major leagues. He served in Battalion 2, Company E of the New York National Guard for eight years around the time of the Korean War. In early years he worked for the former Walt's Feed Store, C.M.K. and Hope's Windows. He began his forty six year career with the Post Journal in the Mailroom and as a truck driver at the former 311 Washington St. location after graduation and when a position became available in the Photo Department he began to work under Chief Photographer, Stanley Olson. Dick won many awards for the Post Journal for photo journalism from The Associated Press and United Press International, and covered such events as the plane crash in Napoli on New Year's Eve in 1951, The Premier of "Forever Darling" starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and there return to Jamestown in 1956 for that event, the visit from the King of Sweden in 1976, and countless news related tragedies as well as the human interest pictures that featured kids and animals that he was well known for. Dick had an eye for what would make a good picture and could pick it out just driving past it. He retired in 1992 as Chief Photographer for the Post Journal and spent the next twenty years or so working with his son in the property services and maintenance business. Dick was also very involved in preaching the good news of God's Kingdom as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, being associated with the West Jamestown Congregation where he served as an elder from 1972 to 2012. He almost always had a smile on his face and a positive outlook for the future. He is survived by his son Kurt (Sarah) Hallberg and his grandson Alexander all of Lakewood. He was preceded in death by the love his life, his wife Janet Anderson Hallberg whom he married on October 18, 1952 in Jamestown and who passed away on December 1, 2014 after sixty two years of marriage. Besides his parents, he was also preceded in death by his sister, E. LeNore Wigren , who passed away August 1, 2016. A Memorial Service will be held at Kingdom Hall, 3454 Baker St. Ext on Friday, April 7 at 10:30 am David Vincent of Jehovah's Witnesses will officiate. The family will be present to receive friends on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Hubert Funeral Home and Cremation Services and for one hour prior to the service at Kingdom Hall. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Chautauqua County, 20 W. Fairmount Ave., Lakewood, The West Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, 3454 Baker St. Ext Jamestown or to the Lakewood Volunteer Fire Company, 37 J.W. Packard Blvd., Lakewood. You may send a condolence to the family by visiting www.hubertfuneralhome.com.