Dr Lee H. Ball (1926-2003)

Dr. Ball was born to the Rev. Lee H. and Mabel (Kent) Ball on June 15, 1926, in New York, New York. Since his father was a Methodist minister in the New York Conference, the family moved from village to village in the Hudson Valley. These included Irvington, Catskill, Rhinebeck, Mahopac, and New Paltz. He had two brothers, identical twins four years younger than himself, named Harry and Billy. He also, at the age of eight, spent one year in Chicago away from his family, in an effort to remediate his cerebral palsy.

Lee's love of music manifested itself in very early childhood. His mother first introduced him to it, as she played the piano for him while he skipped and danced about the living room with great delight.

At the age of twelve he began to receive an allowance of twenty-five cents a week. He carefully saved his quarters until he had enough money to buy an album of classical music. The records were of course the old, heavy, breakable 78 r. p.m. ones. But the child learned how to handle them and care for them to keep them safe. And as soon as be bought one album, he began saving for the next, and so gradually built up the fine collection he had at the time of his death, which he bequeathed to Southeastern Oklahoma State University. It was contentment to him to think that his beloved music would continue to be enjoyed after he was gone.

Lee attended Syracuse University, where he majored in English. He was made Phi Beta Kappa in 1946 and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1947 with a B. A. degree. Also, in 1947, he was made a member of the Tabard English Honorary Society. The following year he attended graduate school at Syracuse, and in 1948 received his M. A. degree. It was also in this year he met his future wife, Kate Hart of New Orleans. She also was attending graduate school at Syracuse.

The next year Lee attended the University of Texas at Austin in pursuit of his Ph.D. degree in English. But in 1949 he decided to change to the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he studied under Harry Hayden Clark, the celebrated American Literature scholar. On June 13, 1951, he married Kate in Irvington, New York, with his father officiating.

In 1952, having completed all course work for his advanced degree, he and Kate moved first to Irvington and then, in 1953, to Pippapass, Kentucky (now Pippa Passes, KY) where he and Kate both taught at Caney Junior College. In 1954 they moved to Pikeville, Kentucky, where he taught at Pikeville College. In 1956 his son John Roger was born in Pikeville.

In the year 1958 Lee received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin, and immediately moved to Indianola, Iowa, where he taught for two years at Simpson College.

In 1960 he moved to Durant, Oklahoma, and began teaching at what was then called Southeastern State College. His daughter, Mary Elizabeth, was born in 1962.

Here he stayed for the remainder of his teaching career until his retirement in 1991.

He was inducted in Kappa Delta Pi, an education honorary society, in 1972, and became an officer in 1977. After his retirement, he remained an active honorary counselor for many years.

Many students passed through his hands in his classes of American Literature, Freshman Composition, Humanities, and Shakespeare.He never lost his enthusiasm for teaching, nor his respect and admiration for the ideas of his students.