Fern Pachter Hallman

Fern Pachter Hallman was born on December 6, 1956 in Scranton, PA to Cynthia and Saul Pachter. She passed away on November 28, 2022. She grew up in Allentown, PA. The weather in PA was not to her liking so she took her uncle Kenny’s advice and went to the University of Miami for college. There, she learned the joys of no socks, warm weather, and no snow. The farthest north she ever lived after that was Chattanooga and she settled in ATL about a year later.

In Atlanta, she became a public Librarian, worked for CNN and the Atlanta Olympics, and finished her career with Brodart, a library services company. She also met Richard Hallman and they got married in 1989 and lived in the same house in Virginia-Highland from then on. She organized our street’s block party for more than 20 years. She loved her street and her street loved her.

She also loved: dogs, cats, music, New Orleans, beaches, and bright pastel colors. When she visited NOLA she was able to meet many great musicians including Allen Toussaint, Kermit Ruffins, Tab Benoit and Waylon Thibodeaux. She also loved Opera and Broadway. Rent was her favorite show until Hamilton came along. She loved Lin Manuel Miranda and his dad. For the past 12 years she was the proud mother of Scruffy, currently the world’s cutest dog. She always had cats including her current owners, Barney and Wilma.

She leaves behind her husband and pets and friends and her beloved aunt Marsha, sister Sharon Wapner, sister Jessica McElroy, sisters-in-law Laura Hallman and Judy Cornwell, lifelong friend Lauren Lee and many others including that uncle, his wife Holly, and many cousins, nieces and nephews on both sides of the family. She was predeceased by her sister- and brother-in-law Carol and Chris Smith. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Alaqua Animal Refuge, alaqua.org or WWOZ, Guardians of the Groove, www.wwoz.org.