Our friend and dear colleague, Louise Ball passed away in May 2017. A strong supporter of the USC Emeriti Center, she endowed the USC Living History Project in 2005 with funds donated to honor her deceased son. Louise continued to support the Living History Project for many years before moving to Montana and then Florida to be with her daughter and family. Click to view: Louise’s Living History interview.
Louise Ball retired from USC and went on to run her own business managing non-profit medical associations dedicated to advancing continuing medical education for physicians. At the age of 75, she published a book titled The International Medical Graduates’ Guide to U.S. Medicine: Negotiating the Maze, in which she discusses the problems with visas and medical licensure in the United States for American citizens graduating from foreign medical schools and foreign students graduating from American medical schools. She was a charter member of the Staff Retirement Association at USC of which she is still an active member. She is also a volunteer for CARES, a non-profit auxiliary of the LA County/USC Medical Center that cares for 22,000 children annually while their families care for patients at the hospital.
Louise came to USC in 1962 as Administrative Assistant to the Associate Dean of Medical Education. A few years later she became Special Assistant to the Dean at the Keck School of Medicine. This position encompassed a little bit of everything, and her degree in journalism gave her an advantage when it came to writing. She wrote and edited publications, did ghost writing and grant writing. Aside from assisting the deans, she also enjoyed being a liaison between the medical students and the faculty as she directed the Curriculum Office. In 1984 she received the Elaine Stevely Hoffman Award. Louise retired in 1985 after 23 years of service.
“Find things that you like to do, are able to do, and do them. A fear of boredom should not be cause for concern. There are several organizations in need of expertise and caring individuals.
“If you plan to go into an assisted living facility, plan ahead and think carefully. Many places have age limits when accepting applications. Furthermore, you can lose a lot of your freedom such as what time to eat and when to have company. Live at home as long as you are able to do so.
“Be prepared for the physical and emotional changes that come naturally as part of the aging process. You never know what can happen, so be prepared—mentally, physically, and financially.” Louise Ball, 2006