Raymond K. Ballard

(Courier News)

RAYMOND K. BALLARD
AGE: 73 SOUTH PLAINFIELD
Raymond K. Ballard, 73, died peacefully Saturday, (Sept. 20, 2008) at Haven Hospice at JFK Medical Center in Edison.
He was born at Cooper Hospital to his loving parents, Viola and Eugene Ballard. Ray grew up in Brooklawn and graduated from Gloucester City High School.
He served in the U.S. Force Security Services as a staff sergeant from 1955 to 1966 as an airborne electronic maintenance technician. His service took him to Mississippi, Oklahoma, California, Germany and Florida before being honorably discharged.
Following his military career , he settled in South Plainfield and was employed by Mohawk Data Sciences and later worked as a government container inspector for SGS.
Surviving are his wife, Barbara; two daughters, Deborah Gemenden and her husband, Randy, of South Plainfield and Kimberly Ballard of South Plainfield; two grandchildren, Jaclyn LaMotta and her husband, Michael, of Hillsborough and Randy Gemenden of South Plainfield; and two great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Alexa LaMotta.
Family and friends may attend the visitation from 5 to 8 p.m. today, Sept. 23, at McCriskin-Gustafson Home For Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Ave., South Plainfield, (www.mccriskinfuneralhome.com). Private funeral services will be held, along with burial and military honors, in Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arneytown.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ray's name may be made to Angel's Gate Hospice for Animals, 510 Archie Elliot Road, Delhi, NY 13753; (www.angelsgate.org).