Obituary of Albert Anthony Ballman

Albert Anthony Ballman, 98 years young, passed away at home on January 13, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. Al was born on January 6, 1927 in West Bergen, NJ, the son of Theresa and Charles Ballman. He was one of seven children and lived in Elizabeth and Linden before entering the U.S Army during World War II and serving in the Pacific theater. Al was predeceased by his beloved wife, Margaret Boyle Ballman, and children Thomas Ballman and Rosemary Ballman. He is survived by son Christopher and daughter-in-law Susan McCabe of Arlington, MA; daughters Karen (Simone) of Northborough, MA and Peggy of Flemington, NJ; daughter-in-law Donna Peger of Neptune, NJ; grandchildren Michael Simone and wife Bri of Tucson, AZ, Jenna and husband Aaron Nichols of Grafton, MA, Connor Perone and wife, Becca of South Bound Brook, NJ, McCabe Ballman and wife Casey of Fitchburg, MA, Rowan Ballman of Bar Harbor, Maine; and six great grandchildren. In 2009, Al was blessed with a second marriage to Joyce DeSilvia Laudise of Berkeley Heights, NJ, who survives him, and his family grew to include five stepchildren: Thomas Laudise of Maplewood, NJ, Meg and husband Derek Warden of Wyncote, PA, Mary of Ocean Grove, NJ, John of Berkeley Heights, Ed of Naples, FL; and three step-grandchildren, Matt Warden of San Diego, CA, Rob Warden of Worchester, MA, and Emily Warden of New York, NY. Al grew up during the Depression and often reflected on the challenges of his early years, when rent day was also sometimes moving day. Twice he and his siblings were separated and sent to children’s services homes and reunited later when circumstances improved. He deeply loved and valued his close-knit family who watched out for him and mentors who encouraged his interest in science. Once as a young boy Al was caught exploding tin cans he concocted with castoff materials from a nearby chemical plant dump. Taken to the police, a wise sergeant let him off with a stern talking about applying himself in better ways and he took the message to heart. He graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. degree in chemistry, and afterwards worked at Merck Sharp & Dohme before moving to Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill and Holmdel for the next 36 years. He was a recognized pioneer in crystal growth and his work at Bell Labs significantly contributed to the development of synthetic quartz crystals, which became crucial for telecommunications after World War II. At that time, the U.S. had to import natural quartz at great expenses from Brazil and other places. His contributions helped lead to the large-scale production of high-quality synthetic quartz, enabling its widespread use in telecommunication and other applications like watches, clocks, and computers. He holds 32 patents and published more than 100 scientific papers on crystal growth. In 2000, he was inducted into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame. Al and Marge raised their five children in Woodbridge, NJ, where Al was active in the St. James Catholic Church community. He was a skilled carpenter who built additions and decks for family and along with fellow parishioners volunteered at Martin House in Trenton renovating homes in the Wilbur section of the city. Al was a longtime ham radio enthusiast, a runner and avid golfer, but was happiest with his hand on the tiller of a sailboat. One of his biggest adventures was sailing a sloop with two mates across the Atlantic Ocean to the Azores. After he and Marge moved to the Silverton section of Toms River in 1979, they enjoyed many boating adventures and family gatherings over the decades. In later years, he and Joyce enjoyed weekends in the Poconos and more recently, quiet gatherings in Berkeley Heights with family and friends. Al had a life well-lived and will be dearly missed by many. Visiting hours will be held on Friday, January 17, 2025 from 5 - 7 pm at Kedz Funeral Home, 1123 Hooper Avenue, Toms River, NJ. A funeral mass will take place on Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 10:00 am at St. Justin's Church, 975 Fischer Boulevard Toms River, NJ. The family wishes to extend its deepest thanks to the Center for Hope Hospice for their care during Al’s final days. In lieu of flowers, donations in Al’s memory may be made to the Center for Hope Hospice & Palliative Care, Scotch Plains, NJ, https://cfhh.org/donate/.