Nick "Sook" Ball

Nick "Sook" Ball, 82, of Brown Road, Sayre, Pa., (Athens Twp.) passed away Friday Dec. 5, 2008, at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre with his family by his side. He will be sadly missed by all.

Born Dec. 19, 1925, in Sayre, he was the son of the late Steve and Natalia Copie Ball. Nick was a graduate of Sayre High School and a veteran of WWII, having served in the U.S. Army.

Nick was employed by the Lehigh Valley Railroad — Conrail for more than 44 years as a conductor until his retirement. After his retirement, he enjoyed spending his time cooking for his family and friends, farming and traveling around the farm on his Polaris Ranger ATV until his recent decline in health.

Nick was a member of the Ascension of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church, Sayre, and a member and past commander of the Ball-Skerpon Catholic War Veterans Post No. 773, in Sayre.

On May 5, 1953, he married the former Joan Bubick at the Ascension of Our Lord Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Surviving are: his wife of 55 years, Joan Ball, at home; his children, Philip Ball and his wife Susan, Susan Seck and her husband David, Jeanne Loomis and her husband George, Joan Fairlie and her husband Ronald, Nick Ball and his wife Patti, and Maureen Ball, all of Sayre; his grandchildren, Natalie, Katie, Rachel and Philip Ball, Michelle Fedorchak and her husband John Fedorchak, Sean Seck, George, Jackie and Lauren Loomis, Tracy Wheeler and Gavin Fairlie, Nicholas and Megan Ball and Molly Ball: great-grandchildren Dylan and Caden Wheeler; his brothers Michael "Midge" Ball of East Athens and August "Augie" Ball of Sayre; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Steve and Natalia Ball, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Philip and John Ball, and his sisters, Kay, Mary, Helen and Pauline.

The funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 8, 2008, at the Alteri-Bowen Funeral Home, 314 Desmond St., Sayre, Pa., with the Rev. Vasile Godenciuc officiating. The family will receive friends from 4-8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Interment will be in the Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Athens Twp., with the Valley Color Guard according full military honors.