Donald Lee Ball

Ball, Donald Lee of Falls Church, Virginia passed away peacefully with family on August 31, 2016. Don was born on June 9, 1931 in Kalamazoo Michigan a son of Frank Edward Ball and Alice Mae Woodruff Ball. His Sister, Norma Mae Ball Druckenbrodt predeceased. Donald was married to Estella Ball (Naranjo) who survived. Also surviving Nephew Richard L. Druckenbrodt (Kathie) of Mesa, Arizona; Nephew Donald D Druckenbrodt (Kristin) of Dallas, Texas; Nephew Robert E. Druckenbrodt (Lori) of La Porte, Texas; Niece Susan M Spiegel (Marc) of Pearland, Texas. He has a Brother-In-Law Ricardo V. Naranjo and a Sister-In-Law Vesta N. de Segebre.

Don Ball received his PHD in Chemical and Metallurgical Science from the University of Wisconsin and completed post-doctoral work at Brown University in 1960. Subsequently, while working at General Motors, Don was a member of the team that created one of the first synthetic diamonds. He entered United States government service in 1967 joining the Directorate of Chemical Sciences of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) in Washington, DC. As a Basic Research Program Manager, he gathered speculative scientific ideas, methods, and candidates to support future national requirements in the areas of chemical technology, surface chemistry, molecular dynamics, chemical reactivity and synthesis, associated kinetics, mechanism, and quantum chemistry. As Director of Chemical and Atmospheric Sciences at AFOSR, Dr. Ball managed the review and selection of scientific proposals for United States federal government funding on the basis of scientific potential for improving Air Force operational capabilities, originality, significance to science, and reasonableness of budget. Don retired from the United States federal government Senior Executive Service in 1988 after 20 years of dedication to maintaining our country’s technological superiority. After retirement Don enjoyed his extended family and traveling with friends on annual trips to baseball spring training games in Florida.