HUEYTOWN, Alabama --- Janet Dickinson Hall, 55, of Hueytown, was a pastor's wife, a mother, a co-worker.
She was also "the best friend you could ever want," according to Becky Passmore.
Passmore and her husband, Richard, had been friends with Hall and her husband, David, since high school in Hueytown. The couples went on trips together, their children grew up together and the men hunted together.
Sarah, the Halls' daughter, was with her parents when the storm hit. They were in a bathroom -- Sarah on the bottom, Jan in the middle and David covering them both -- when their home exploded. Jan suffered a fatal head injury; David, a broken back and punctured lung. Sarah emerged with a few cuts, scratches and bruises. Jared, the Halls' son, lives in Texas.
Jan Hall spent her entire working career as a representative at the Social Security office in Birmingham. Passmore said her friend didn't like outdoor activities; she preferred the indoors, caring for her family. Her husband divides his time between his job at Alapestco and Deeper Life United Pentecostal Church in Hueytown, where he is associate pastor. He remains in the hospital.
Today, a sign hand-lettered by Sarah marks the former site of the Halls' home. It reads, "In memory of my mom."