Rodney James Ballard (76) of Lawrence Township, NJ, passed away on November 18, 2023, surrounded by his family.
Rod was born to John Francis Ballard and Jeannette Emily Leonard on April 9, 1947 in Queens, NY. He was a talented student and musician, and he attended the High School of Music & Art to study cello. After graduating, he attended Queens College, and then served in the Peace Corps teaching English in Istanbul, Turkey. Upon returning to the US, he received a graduate degree from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Rod was a world traveler, and he made his career in non-profit international education, including 25 years at Educational Testing Service, where he met his wife of 37 years, Nancy. In their love, he also found his love of Judaism, and in 1988 he converted while he and Nancy were expecting their first son. A lover of literature and history, in his retirement, Rod was a bookseller at Barnes & Noble in Princeton, NJ.
Rod is survived by his wife, Nancy, and his two children, Noah and Nathaniel, as well as his brother Roy and his wife Patricia. Rod was predeceased by his parents and his brother, John.
Rod’s funeral service will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 11 a.m. at Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel, located at 1534 Pennington Road in Ewing Township, NJ. Interment will follow at King David Memorial Park in Bensalem, PA. Shiva will be held at the Ballard family home in Lawrence Township, NJ.