Obituary of Norma L. Ball

Mrs. Norma L. Ball, 85, died at 3:10 AM on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at the Southwoods Assisted Living Community. Mrs. Ball was born on September 21, 1924 at Wendell, Idaho, a daughter of the late Austin and Eda Peterson Schouweiler. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Dr. Joe M. Ball of Titusville and four children: Dr. William A. Ball and wife Dr. Rachel Ball of Wallingford, Pa.; Joe M. Ball, Jr., and wife Rosemary of Tustin, California; daughter Eda E. Scales and husband Kemp of Titusville; and son George L. Ball, Esq., and his wife Gail of Wilmington, Delaware She has 11 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Carolyn Seidel of Bakersfield, California, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Karen Fisher and Dolores (Deedee) Strickland. Mrs. Ball graduated from Wendell High School as part of the class of 1942. She attended Scripps College and the University of Southern California, where she met her future husband, Dr. Joe M. Ball. She moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with him in 1949 when he accepted a position in the Speech Department at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1963, Dr. Ball accepted a position as the first President of the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville, and Mrs. Ball quickly came to play an important role in the early effort to launch the campus. A long-time resident of East Main Street, Mrs. Ball maintained a lively interest in the activities of Titusville. She was well known for her acts of kindness, large and small, planned and spontaneous. She hosted social events for the Pitt campus, and at various times participated in the Titusville Women’s Club, the Hospital Auxiliary, and the Associated Charities. Mrs. Ball collected antique furniture and paper weights, and she was an avid bridge player, garnering many master points. She was one of the hostesses of a standing ladies’ bridge club that met for over 40 years. Mrs. Ball most recently participated in the Titusville Duplicate Bridge Club, which met at the Southwoods Assisted Living Community. Throughout her married life keeping the family together was a passion. She liked to remind her children that she had read the entire works of Charles Dickens, and she took pleasure in distributing his and other books to her children and grandchildren. Her family reunions were the stuff of family legend, often located in beautiful settings such as Coulter Bay, Wyoming, or Falling Water Farm in the Titusville area. Friends may call at the Gordon B. Garrett Funeral Home, 303 North Washington Street, Titusville on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 pm and attend the funeral services on Wednesday at 11 am at St. James Memorial Episcopal Church with Reverend William French officiating. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. The family asks that memorials may be made to the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville or to St. James Memorial Episcopal Church of Titusville. FLOWERS