Anne Ball, a leader in the retail and fashion industries for more than three decades, died in New York City on Friday, January 19, 2001. The cause was cancer of the liver.

Anne Ball, born October 12, 1948 in Osaka, Japan, was the daughter of Colonel William Cowan Carter and Mrs. Lillian "Polly" Harwell Carter. As a child of a military family, she had the opportunity to travel extensively in her youth. These experiences instilled in her early on an international perspective; and they helped establish the first of her many worldwide friendships.

After attending Texas A&M University and the University of Houston, she began her career at Neiman Marcus in Dallas while attending at North Texas State University. Upon graduation, she joined the Neiman Marcus Executive Training Program. She quickly advanced through the ranks until being named Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager for Womens Designer Sportswear and Imports as well as Bridge and Leisure Sportswear. During the ten years she held that position, numerous names in sportswear design evolved into international designers with collections recognized around the world. Her ability to identify and develop talent supported their growth and success.

In 1986, she and her husband, Frank Ball, formed the Ball Group, Inc., a private retail management company that launched the famed French retailer, Printemps, in the United States and created a new, fashion-forward image for Stanley Korshak in Dallas. She went on to become Vice President, General Merchandise Manager of Barney's New York, responsible for developing and directing all merchandising activities for its new store concept, Barneys America, introducing major private label collections produced in Europe and the Far East and opening stores across the United States.

In 1991 Ms. Ball was named President of the Anne Klein Collection, where she worked with designers Louis Del Olio, Richard Tyler and Patrick Robinson. At this time, Ms. Ball also re-entered academia at New York University to earn a Master of Arts degree.

Ms. Ball was a highly respected figure in retail marketplaces all over the world, and was known for her intelligence, integrity and taste. As globalization became a force in retailing, she was called upon to travel worldwide for Saks Fifth Avenue as Vice President, International Merchandising. Most recently, as an executive consultant, she created and developed merchandising and store concepts for Seibu of Japan, opening six locations in Tokyo.

In an industry known for originality, Anne Ball was unique. Beloved by legions of friends, protégés, mentors, colleagues, and family, they remember how her gamin style, easy laughter and interest in others contrasted her extraordinary strength, dignity and sense of self.

Anne and Frank Ball met and married while still in their teens. Their successful partnerships in business were overshadowed only by their remarkable 35-year marriage. In addition to Frank Ball of New York City, Tuxedo Park, New York and Big Sur, California, Ms. Ball is survived by her daughter, Jayne Dennison Ball and son in law, Mark Judson Kilpatrick, both on foreign assignment in the Marshall Islands; her mother, Mrs. Lillian "Polly" Harwell Carter of Pulaski, Tennessee; her sister, Ms. Paige Carter Garner of Nashville, Tennessee and one niece and four nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, January 26, 2001, officiated by the Reverend Doctor James G. Speer at the First Presbyterian Church, 12 West 12th Street at Fifth Avenue in New York City. The family has requested that memorials be made to the Ball Endowed Opportunity Award, c/o The Texas A&M University Foundation, 401 George Bush Drive, College Station, TX 77840-2811, to the Big Sur Land Trust, 3785 Via Nona Marie, Carmel, CA 93923 or to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, c/o Dr. Yuman Fong Research in memory of Anne Ball, Suite C898, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021.

For additional information, contact Frank Ball at (212) 403-9461 or (212) 505-8642.