ELEANOR BALL

BALL--Dr. Eleanor Halpern (Ellie) passed away on March 4, 2012 in her home in Short Hills, New Jersey at the age of 77 after a 22 year battle with Parkinson's disease. She was born in New York City in 1934 and grew up in Borough Park, Brooklyn, the only child of immigrants Leah Tepper and Abraham Halpern. She excelled at school and graduated at the top of her class from Brooklyn College in 1956. She started medical school at New York University in 1958, one of 12 women among an entering class of 125. On the first day of school she met Charles Ball, a fellow student, when they were assigned as cadaver partners. Ellie and Charlie were married in 1961. While a resident in dermatology at NYU-Bellevue, also in New York City, Ellie gave birth to sons Thomas and Julian in 1965 and 1967, respectively. She practiced dermatology in Summit, New Jersey from the early 1970s until her retirement in 1992. Outside of work Ellie had many interests and pursued them avidly. First and foremost, Ellie was truly interested in people and getting to know them better. She was unfailingly kind and polite, taking a positive interest in peoples' lives and problems. Ellie had a musical spirit: She played the piano, had a beautiful soprano voice, and regularly attended concerts and operas in New York City. Ellie was a fantastic cook and hostess. She was the master chef in her kitchen, which eventually was renovated with counters to perfectly match her height. She had an excellent eye for art, design and fashion, which she applied to renovating the family's home on Summit Avenue in Summit, NJ over the course of many years. She always dressed beautifully and became very involved in drawing and painting later in life. Ellie took great joy in her grandchildren, David and Lauren Ball. Later in her life, Ellie was blessed with a new family. Her caregiver Marisa Vieira and Marisa's children, Andre and Danielle, moved in to live with Ellie and Charlie in their home in Short Hills. Marisa and her children provided Ellie with a new source of joy and love, without which her later life would have been immeasurably poorer. Ellie is survived by her husband and sons. A private gathering will be held to celebrate Ellie's life and achievements. Contributions in memory of Dr. Eleanor H. Ball can be sent to the National Parkinson Foundation or the New York University Medical School.