Lynn B Ball

Harriet Lynn Ball was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 29, 1939 and went by the name Lynn. She was the oldest child of Stephen Pendleton and Bobbie Lee McKoy, and was preceded in death by her parents and her younger brothers Stephen and Michael. She passed away after a brief illness in February, leaving behind a profoundly grieving family: her husband Ralph; children Robert, Kristy and Jenny and their spouses; and three grandchildren, Christopher, Elle and Kai.

Soon after she was born, the family relocated to Birmingham, Alabama, where she attended grade school. As a child, she became an avid reader, eventually checking out and reading every book at her local library. She came from a humble background, worked hard, and made her own opportunities. To go to the best high school in Birmingham, she would get up at 4 am, travel to a relative's house, and caught the bus into town. She was later valedictorian of her high school class at Phillips High School and won a full scholarship to the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, where she studied Chemistry. She paused her studies after getting married and having three children, but later returned to them, earning a degree in Chemistry and a Master's in advertising from the University of Florida. She was an A+ student. After spending many years as a social worker for the state of Florida, she started a second career as a licensed real estate broker in Deerfield Beach, Fla. She had her own business, Lynn Ball Realty, for 25 years, which she ran with her husband, Ralph. She was also known for her personal style, her love of spring flowers, baked goods, coffee extra sweet and extra light, her love of the beach and complete refusal to be seen without her false eyelashes. But as much as she loved sweets, she also loved onions, which perhaps oddly represented her personality: although she was sweet, she definitely had a lot of kick to her.

Although the most obvious thing about her at first sight was her physical beauty, it was the composition of her character--her keen intelligence, her generous and loving heart, quiet ebullience, her wonderful sense of humor, kindness and compassion to others and honesty were the things that made her the person that she was. Very simply stated, she was a good person. She was deeply moral, kind to everyone but especially to those in need. She was a loving mother, grandmother and wife. She had a sparkling wit and a special gift with words. Being near her was a pleasure and a joy; a pleasure that we are sadly no longer privileged to share, but know for certain that she left the world a better place by simply just being who she was: a gift to all those who knew and loved her.

She is survived by her husband Ralph Ball, and his children Tracy Ball Earley, husband Mike Earley and their children, Mick, Sean and Maggie; Timothy Ball, his wife Suzette, and their daughter Danielle; Robert Bensko, wife Pat Burgos Bensko, and Rob's son Christopher Bensko; Kristy Bensko and husband Mark Rosenbloom; and Jennifer Ha, husband Alexander Ha and their children, Elle and Kai.

Visitation Kraeer Deerfield Beach, Tuesday, February 16, 2016, 6-8pm. Funeral, Wednesday, February 17, 2016, 11:30 a.m. Address: 217 E .Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. www.kraeerpompanobeach.net