Obituaries & Tributes

Herbert Dean Ball, PhD: Oct. 28, 1928 — Aug. 15, 2024

Herbert Dean Ball, PhD, died of heart failure and kidney cancer on August 15, 2024 at The Pete Moore Hospice House. It is with a touch of Herbert’s signature wit that we share his obituary, which he meticulously crafted himself before passing. Known for his remarkable writing talent and thoughtful insights, Herbert was asked by his family to pen his own farewell message. 

The old reprobate was born at 1:30 pm, CST on Sunday, October 28, 1928, in Osceola, Nebraska to Guy F. and Nettie Malek Ball, the fifth child of seven.

Cork grew up during the Depression and WWII and graduated from Osceola high school in 1946, ranked academically 15th out of a class of 21.  Thus, he claimed that he was the smartest of the dummies.  

Herb was sworn into the U. S. Army on July 26, 1946 at Ft. Omaha in Nebraska, frittered away a year of that enrollment in Occupied Japan, earning two medals, and was honorably discharged on November 28, 1947 at Camp Stoneman in California.  His sole purpose in enlisting was to take advantage of the G. I. Bill to attend college.  He enrolled at Cornhusker U for the Spring semester in 1948.   

His high school preparation in math and science was pitiful, so he struggled mightily with some make-up course work in the first semester and in regular course work for the next two years.  But his native mental capability finally showed through and in 1952 he was awarded the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, being the first member of his family (and only the second member of his high school class) to earn a college degree.  

He then wasted a few years working on a research project for the Nebraska Highway Department.  

In 1955, he returned to the U. of N. and enrolled in the Mechanical Engineering program.  After one semester, one of the ME professors decided that Herb was destined for a higher level of learning and he started on the Master’s program, earning the degree in 1958.  

Doing some part time teaching during this period, he found his true calling. So, in September, 1958, it was on to Manhattan, Kansas to accept an appointment as a full-time Instructor and to enroll in the newly approved doctoral program in Mechanical Engineering at Kansas State University. 

He zipped through the required course work, including 18 credit-hours of Advanced Math, earning top grades all the way (became known there as “The brain”).  But he didn’t do very well at all on his research. 

In about 1970 or so, he and Virginia again made noises about co-habituating. Well, he plunged into the research, finished it up, and produced a superb dissertation document. He passed the Oral exam in November, 1971, and was awarded the degree, Doctor of Philosophy in 1972.  

Virginia and Herb were married on March 27, 1972, bought a house, began a life of happiness and joy (and just a bit of squabbling). Well, Herb brought a whole lot of research and consulting money into the Department, directed a bunch of graduate students, introduced several new energy courses, published a few dozen papers, wrote two books and progressed up the ladder to Professor. 

After a young life of slovenly scholarship, smoking and swearing, Herb was more than a little proud of having earned a doctoral degree and achieving a full professorship in a quite difficult field.

But the shadows started growing dark in the late 1980s, and early retirement was beginning to look attractive.The classroom teaching was always a joy and was rewarding. But the politics involved in the constant search of and the application for research monies, the thankless labor of directing graduate students and the eternal writing and publishing of papers just wore him out.  The “publish or perish” syndrome had been replaced by “bring in money AND publish or perish.”  Virginia and Herb discussed it at length and January 17, 1991 was his last day on the job. 

After many, many years of the Nebraska/Kansas weather, we decided to seek a milder climate.  We ended up in the Willamette Valley, on an acreage on Cottage Grove Lake. We devoted many years volunteering and in holding positions in service organizations: Kiwanis; volunteer at elementary schools; founding member of the Family Relief Nursery; Senior & Disabled Services; SLS board. 

Herb is preceded in death by his wife, Virginia; both parents, three sisters and two brothers. He is survived by a sister Sally Honke of Omaha, NE, daughter AJ Ball of Cottage Grove, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial gathering will be held at Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel on Saturday, September 21, 2024, between 1pm – 3pm.

Memorial gifts may be donated in Herb’s memory to The Pete Moore Hospice House.

Arrangements in the care of Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel and Crematorium.

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