Lajos Balla

 
LAJOS "LOUIS" BALLA  
On Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Ash Wednesday LOUIS. B. BALLA, M.D. of Washington, D.C. died after a long and courageous battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis. He was born in a small town in Hungary on October 17, 1928 and escaped on foot from his communist-occupied country in 1949 at the young age of 20. He travelled almost 1,000 miles to his planned destination, Brussels, Belgium where he successfully concluded his medical studies. While studying there he met his future wife of 55 years Josephine. After receiving his medical degree he immigrated to the U.S. in 1954 and did his residency training at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. He and Josephine were married on January, 25, 1957 in New York City. In 1958 he was drafted in the Navy and was a practicing Otolaryngologist at the Naval Aviation Base in Pensacola, FL. He retired two years later as Lt. Cmdr. and returned to Bellevue to complete his residency training. In 1961 he settled in Washington, DC and was a successful practicing Otolaryngologist and Plastic Surgeon for almost fifty years. He was also an Associate Clinical Professor Emeritus of Otolaryngology at Georgetown University School of Medicine. In addition to his work in his private practice he was proud of his active membership in two Catholic organizations; The John Carroll Society and the Hungarian Knights of Malta. As a member of both these groups he was able to combine his love of medicine with charitable works. Beloved husband of Josephine Balla and loving father of Brigitte Engleman, Louis Balla and Stephane Balla. He is also survived by his son-in-law, Tom and daughters-in-law, Rosemarie and Pam; and six grandchildren, Philippe, Louis, Lauren, Pierre, Christopher and Claudia. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, March 3 at 12 noon at Little Flower Parish at 5607 Massachusetts Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20816. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Hungarian Knights of Malta, P.O. Box 241, Mt. Vernon, VA 22121.