Dr. Ayer Bala

Dr. Ayer Bala passed away on December 31, 2019. He was born in 1940 in a small village in the state of Kerala, India, but had big dreams to be a doctor from a young age. He moved to the USA in 1973 and ultimately completed his training in the field of Hematology and Oncology at Emory University. He settled in Savannah, GA in 1980 where he practiced for over 30 years and was part of Summit Cancer Care. Upon retiring in 2010, he volunteered as a physician in the Indigent Tumor Clinic at Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Bala had a personality that was larger than life and well known to his dear family, friends, and many patients. He was generous to a fault with his time and money; always willing to help anyone in need. He was an avid sports fan, and will be missed by his friends for his spectacular Super Bowl parties. He also loved to garden and will be missed as well by his plants that are now fully at the mercy of the ubiquitous deer on Dutch Island. Most of all, he will be sorely missed by his family, to whom he was fully devoted. From traveling the world with his wife and daughters, driving his grandkids to sports and dance lessons, to sharing stories and life lessons with them, he was everyone’s favorite confidant. In his retirement years, he took up golfing and spiritual studies and grew to become a mediocre golfer, but a wise student. He shared his new love of philosophy with his family and friends in Savannah. In the Vedic traditions, he strived to live his life in the present to its fullest. Dr. Bala accomplished many things in his long-lived life, though his proudest accomplishment is the family he was such an integral part of. He is survived by his loving wife and best friend of 52 years Geetha, daughters Deepa and Rupa, son-in-law Sriram, and beloved grandchildren Jena, Dhilan, Rayna, and Lucy the dog. A funeral service will be held on January 4th, 2020 in Atlanta, GA at the Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home at 3940 Macland Rd, Powder Springs, GA at 11:30 am. There will be a Celebration of Life in Savannah, Georgia in the future. We look forward to celebrating this wonderful man’s life.

Dr. Ayer Bala

September 18, 1940 - December 31, 2019