Louise A. Balland

1944 – 2017

West Springfield – Louise A. (Walsh) Balland, 72, passed away peacefully Monday evening at home surrounded by her loving family.  Louise was born and raised in Springfield the daughter of the late Walter and Isabelle (Wands) Walsh.  She graduated from the High School of Commerce and has lived in West Springfield for the past 18 years.  In 1968, she became the first woman to work in Pratt & Whitney's Fuel Lab as a Technician.  She later went on to work as a Quality Control Inspector at Savage Arms Westfield for 18 years before retiring in 2006.  Louise enjoyed playing for the adult Wilshire women's Softball league, where she was an excellent pitcher for many years.  She was a loving mother and devoted grandmother to her eleven grandchildren and two great grandsons with a great granddaughter on the way.  Spending time with her family was the one thing she cherished the most.    She leaves her husband of 52 years Edward J. Balland; two daughters, Lourie Balland and her fiancee Heather (Bierowka) Wildes of Springfield, Debra Pestana and husband Antonio of Warwick, R.I., daughter-in-law Jennifer Balland of Westfield, a brother James W. Walsh and wife Janice of East Longmeadow and brother-in-law Karl Balland of New York and several nieces and nephews.  Besides her parents, Louise was predeceased by a son Timothy E. Balland in 2003.  Visiting hours will be held at the West Springfield Curran-Jones Funeral Home Sunday from 4:00 – 7:00pm.  The committal service will be held at the Massachusetts Veteran's Memorial Cemetery on Monday morning at 10:00am.  For more details please visit curranjones.com.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The Alzheimer's Association or St. Jude's Children's Hospital.