Obituary of Richard M. Ball, M.D.

Dr. Richard M. Ball, 78, of Warren, New Jersey, died at home on Friday, June 15, 2012, after a protracted illness. Born and raised in New York, New York, Dr. Ball graduated from Stuyvesant High School, New York University's College of Engineering and Science, and New York Medical College, Flower and Fifth Avenue Hospitals, where he met his wife of 45 years, JoAnn Deutsch Ball of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Prior to attending college and medical school, Dr. Ball proudly enlisted in the United States Navy. During Dr. Ball's career as an orthopedist, he was an intern and medical resident at St. Vincent's Medical Center and an orthopedic resident at several New York-area hospitals, including Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center's New York Orthopedic Hospital. Later, Dr. Ball was a senior attending physician at John F. Kennedy Medical Center and Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, where he also served on numerous hospital committees, and worked in private practice in South Plainfield, New Jersey. In addition, Dr. Ball served for a time as an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and as medical director of Medical World News magazine in New York. An avid operagoer his entire life, Dr. Ball was a long-time patron of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Also, he served as Scoutmaster to Boy Scout Troop 529 in New York. Dr. and Mrs. Ball moved to North Plainfield, New Jersey in 1971, where they raised their three children. They moved to Warren in 2000, and Dr. Ball retired from practice a year later to enjoy time with his family, including his three grandchildren. He is lovingly missed by his devoted wife, JoAnn, and his three children: Christopher Ball and wife, Julie Schoening, of Chicago, Illinois; Kathleen Ball Landadio and husband, Bryan, of Basking Ridge, New Jersey; and David Ball of New York, New York. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Bryan and Kevin Landadio and Sina Ball. Visitation will be from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20 at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung, New Jersey. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 21 at the funeral home. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Dr. Ball's memory to Compassionate Care Hospice of Branchburg, New Jersey or United Family & Children's Society of Plainfield, New Jersey.