Obituary of Harold Mayfield Balch, Jr.

Harold Mayfield Balch, Jr., 71, of Tulsa, Oklahoma passed away peacefully on Monday, November 14, 2016. He was born, March 22, 1945 to the late Juhree and Harold M. Balch. He was married for 32 years to Katherine Jill Balch. He will be forever remembered for his style, creativity, kindness, and compassion for others. Hal attended Edison High School in Tulsa and Suffield Academy in Suffield, Connecticut. While attending the University of Tulsa, Hal was recruited to a news team at Griffin-Leake Television’s KTUL-TV. He subsequently joined the public relations department at the headquarters of the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce. Where he led national outreach projects benefiting the U.S. Olympic Committee and the President’s Council of Physical Fitness. Inspired by his work in public relations and a deep interest in healthcare, Hal then devoted his professional life to enhancing communication among healthcare professionals and to improving the connectedness with the patients they serve. In 1970, Hal along with two partners and close friends founded Creative Specialists Incorporated (CSI) to provide communications and production services to healthcare organizations, physicians, and foundations. CSI went on to develop groundbreaking educational content and teaching programs on newborn special care, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), coronary artery bypass, Hepatitis B, and improved hospital emergency care. Hal's relationships with colleagues around the country often resulted in enduring friendships - a quality for which he was well known. Hal was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church and served in a nursing home and Eucharistic ministry for over 15 years. He continued his devoted service well after his illness challenged his ability to do so. He was also a longtime and committed member of the Tulsa Tennis Club where he served as president in 2000 and 2001. Hal was deeply grateful for the love and support of those who cared for him and who became part of the extended family, and for the exemplary healthcare professionals of the University of Oklahoma Medical School, Hillcrest Medical Center, Cura Hospice, and the Mayo Clinic. Hal is survived by his wife, Jill Balch; daughter, Ashley MacKenna and her children, Elizabeth, Patrick “Mack” and Mary Katherine; son and daughter-in-law, Jonathan and Candace Balch and their children, Caroline and Harrison. Other family members include cousins, Robert Balch, Sharon and Jerry Sneddon of Tulsa and Sally Johnson (wife of the late Doug Johnson) of Leawood, Kansas. A funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 18, 2016 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 501 S. Cincinnati Ave., Tulsa, OK. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ALS Association or Trinity Episcopal Church. Ninde Funeral Directors, Brookside Chapel – (918) 742-5556 www.ninde.com