Obituary of Raymond K. Ballard

Raymond K. Ballard South Plainfield - Raymond K. Ballard, 73, died peacefully Saturday, September 20, 2008 in the Haven Hospice at JFK Medical Center in Edison. He was born at Cooper Hospital to his loving parents Viola and Eugene Ballard. Ray grew up in Brooklawn, New Jersey and graduated from Gloucester City High School. He served in the United States Air Force as a staff sergeant from 1955 to 1966 as an Airborne Electronic Maintenance Technician. His service took him to Mississippi, Oklahoma, California, Germany and Florida before being honorably discharged. Following his military career he settled in South Plainfield and was employed by Mohawk Data Sciences and later worked as a government container inspector for SGS. Surviving are his wife Barbara, two daughters, Deborah Gemenden and her husband Randy of South Plainfield and Kimberly Ballard of South Plainfield; two grandchildren Jaclyn LaMotta and her husband Michael of Hillsborough and Randy Gemenden of South Plainfield; two great grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Alexa LaMotta. Family and friends may attend the visitation from 5-8 PM on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 in the McCriskin-Gustafson Home For Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Avenue, South Plainfield, New Jersey. Private funeral services will be held along with burial and military honors in Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Arneytown, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ray's name may be made to Angel's Gate Hospice for Animals, 510 Archie Elliot Road, Delhi, NY 13753 ( www.angelsgate.org )