Herbert W. Ball Jr.

Herbert W. Ball Jr. KEENE — The hard-working hands of Herbert W. “Rusty” Ball Jr. of Keene and Surry, New Hampshire, fell still with his sudden passing on Thursday, April 29, 2021, at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, surrounded in the love of his family, and close friends, Andy and Sherri Harden, Dunk and Mary Rudolf, and Dave Nichols. His parents, Alice M. (Elliott) and Herbert W. Ball Sr. welcomed their son into the world on Sept. 25, 1952, in Keene, New Hampshire. Rusty grew up in Surry, New Hampshire, and was a 1970 graduate of Monadnock Regional High School in Swanzey, New Hampshire, where he was a member of the high school football team. He attended the New Hampshire Technical College in Manchester, where he received his degree in automotive engineering. Having a love for stock car racing, Rusty’s passion for racing open-wheeled modifieds started from the moment he was able to obtain his driver’s license. Well-known in the racing circuit, he was successful in bringing home many trophies over his racing career. For the past 47 years, Rusty was the vice president of Cheever Tire Service in Bellows Falls, Vermont. He found great joy in working in his shop, Rusty’s Speed Shop in Surry, New Hampshire, where he built stock car engines and supplied many racing enthusiasts with fabrication of parts for their stock cars. When not hard at work, Rusty enjoyed spending vacations with his family on Cape Cod. In addition, of course, he was an avid NASCAR fan. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Ann E. (Arnold) Ball of Keene, New Hampshire; his daughter, Stephanie M. Ball Wojtyna and her husband, Andrew, of Essex Junction, Vermont; his sister, Marilyn D. Conley and her husband, David, of Interlachen, Florida, and their family, Joshua, Jessie and Jennifer; his brother, C. Bruce Ball of Winchester, New Hampshire, and his family, Marcella, Melani, Karli and Laural; and his extended family who loved Rusty with all of their hearts. He will also be greatly missed by many of his racing friends, as well as the many friends he met from his work with Cheever Tire Service. Family and friends are invited to call on Friday evening, May 7, 2021, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court St., Keene. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at 11 a.m. in St. Margaret Mary Church, 33 Arch St., Keene. Burial with committal prayers will be held in the Village Cemetery, Village Road, Surry, on Thursday, May 13, 2021, at 11 a.m. All those in attendance at the visitation, funeral Mass and committal are required to wear facemasks and maintain the physical distancing protocols. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mr. Ball’s memory to Spectrum Youth and Family Services, 31 Elmwood Ave., Burlington, VT 05401; or to the NH Technical Manchester Community College Scholarship Program, 1066 Front St., Manchester, NH 03102; or to a charity of one’s choice. The Foley Funeral Home of Keene is assisting the family with the arrangements. To offer online condolences to the family or to share special memories, please visit www.foleyfuneralhome.com.