OBITUARY: Richard Lee Ball Jr., 88

Richard Lee Ball Jr. (Dick) died at home in Cumberland, Maine, on Aug. 23, at the age of 88. He died of congestive heart failure.

Dick was born on July 29, 1936, in Baltimore, Maryland, to parents Richard Lee Ball and Margaret Mudge Ball. He is predeceased by his sister, Virginia Bradley Cuthbertson of Hilton Head, South Carolina. On Nov. 4, 1961, Dick married Susan Hoyt, of Orange, Connecticut, who was attending Goucher College. He attended Loyola College, Baltimore, where he studied physics, followed by serving in the Coast Guard. He completed a master’s in engineering at Johns Hopkins University and later acquired an MBA at Northeastern University in Boston.

Dick and Sue moved to Newton so that Dick could begin work as a civil engineer at Metcalf & Eddy; he retired from the company, which by then was known as Air and Water Technologies, as its COO in 2003. He loved his work and his family fondly remembers stops to admire sewage treatment plants on family vacations.

Dick grew up playing badminton in Baltimore, going on to garner a national ranking and playing internationally, including with world-ranked player, Judy Devlin. Dick and Sue bought a home in Marblehead, in part, because of its well-known badminton club, Gut n’ Feathers, where he won dozens of club titles and played weekly until he was 78. His devotion to Gn’F was seen in his volunteership on committees, serving as its president, and teaching the game and good sportsmanship to anyone who wanted to learn. In Marblehead, Dick also enjoyed sailing with his family and friends on their Cal 25 Seagull. Dick’s friends will especially remember his sense of humor, including years-long practical jokes. He was also a member of the Star of the Sea Catholic Church.

Perhaps Dick’s proudest achievement was hiking all 48 4,000-footers in the White Mountains, near their home in Easton, New Hampshire. Never alone, he was always joined by family and friends, especially for the annual Labor Day hike which he optimistically characterized as “great” no matter the weather or circumstances. He passed his love of hiking and the mountains onto his children, and all five of his grandchildren, whom he loved (and bragged about!) very much.

Dick is survived by his wife Sue (Cumberland, Maine); his daughters Anne Gilbert Ball (Dennis Welsh) of Yarmouth, Maine, and Jennifer Lee Ball (David VanEsselstyn) of Brooklyn, New York; and his grandchildren Grady, Audrey and Cornelius Welsh and Margo and Hazel VanEsselstyn.

Dick will be buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Yarmouth with his family present.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Appalachian Mountain Club, 10 City Square, Boston, MA 02129 or via their website: outdoors.org/donate/tribute-gifts/.

Please visit lindquistfuneralhome.com to view Dick’s tribute page and to sign his online guestbook.