Melinda D. Ball

1943 - 2021

Melinda Ball, 77, of Mandeville passed away on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 4, 1943, the daughter of the late Catherine and Ransom Duke. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Stuart Ball, her son Stephen Ball (Beth) and daughter Jennifer B. Woods (Roy), and five grandchildren Kathryn Ball, Ingrid Ball, Anders Ball, Avery Woods and Morgan Woods. Melinda grew up in Norfolk, Virginia and graduated from Maury High School where she was a member of the National Honor Society through its values of scholarship, leadership, service and character. A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Melinda was at all times a teacher. She earned her A.B. Degree in Education from William and Mary College and taught at elementary public schools in Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio. After moving to New Orleans in 1985, she volunteered as a reading tutor for second graders in the STAIR (Start The Adventure In Reading) program. Melinda was soon named STAIR Executive Director and served in that capacity until 2003 when she retired. During that time the program grew to serve nearly 6,000 students from more than 30 public schools. Over 500 volunteer tutors participated each school year. STAIR has been recognized for both improving reading ability and making it a pleasurable experience. After retirement Melinda started a new tutoring program – teaching her grandchildren the joy of learning to read together either in person or virtually on Zoom and FaceTime. In her free time she was an avid reader and a member of book clubs wherever she lived. Our world was made better and brighter by her love for reading and learning. Another of her loves was tennis. She played on her college team and after college in USTA competition and, most recently, in the Northlake Women's Tennis League where she was also a member of its executive committee. But Melinda's most infectious quality was her ability to develop close friends and relationships in everything she did. She had an easy smile and gentle mannerisms that drew people to her. She was a natural volunteer and instinctively knew the appropriate thing to say. And she could be counted on to do more than she was asked. Wherever she lived Melinda was always a faithful servant to her church. At St. Andrews Covenant Presbyterian in Wilmington she was an Elder and active in her adult Sunday School class. At St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian, New Orleans, she was an Elder and very active in its pastoral search committee. And at Covington Presbyterian she has been an active member of Presbyterian Women. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Melinda's memory can be made to STAIR through its website at stairnola.org. There will be a memorial service and celebration of Melinda's life for her Northshore and New Orleans friends on April 2, at 3 p.m. at Covington Presbyterian Church. COVID distancing and masking will be observed and any overflow from the sanctuary will be accommodated in Fellowship Hall.