Miriam Kathryn (Ballard) Pringle

Miriam Kathryn (Ballard) Pringle

Born Dec. 18, 1927, in Akron, Ohio, to Joseph Herman and Olive Sibley Ballard, she was a 1944 graduate of Garfield High School.

While there she had contacted a local DJ, Alan Freed, now in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and arranged for him to host a dance. She attended the University of Akron for one year, but the war moved her to take a job at the Firestone Research Lab.

Miriam and Thomas Pringle were married at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Akron.

Miriam had a beautiful voice and sang for weddings and parties. An avid member of Arnie’s Army, she enjoyed hiking the hilly fairways of Firestone Country Club during PGA and American Golf Classic tournaments. Arnold Palmer once asked her to choose the putter with which he shot a PGA birdie.

Miriam worked on the civic group Goals for Greater Akron, served as a Democratic Party Committeewoman, and often attended Akron City Council meetings.

Miriam authored “Intrepid Ballards” (1995) and leaves an extensive genealogical legacy to enlighten and delight family and many other distant cousins, such as deep Sea Explorer Robert Ballard. Her research has been cited in periodicals such as “Colonial Williamsburg.” She greatly appreciated extended family and friends in Akron, Bardstown, and across the country.

Survivors include daughters Karen Pringle of Brookings and Sandy Pringle-Young and her husband Craig Young of Fayetteville Ark.; son Pat Pringle and his wife Leslie of Olympia, Wash.;  grandsons Ben Timchak of Happy Camp, Calif., and Matt Timchak of Gold Beach.

She was preceded in death by Thomas Pringle, her husband of 54 years, parents Olive Sibley and Joseph Herman Ballard; sister Joan Carol Ballard Kelly.

A memorial service was held at St. Thomas Church, Bardstown.