Addison J. Ball

Addison J. Ball was blessed with an abundance of leadership qualities. It would be accurate to say that this woman was an outstanding luminary and that her natural abilities served her well. She knew with certainty how she wanted to set priorities in all aspects of her life. She struck those who knew her as the kind of person who awoke in the morning with a clear sense of exactly what she expected from her day and how to set about accomplishing those goals. Addison was a woman who definitely liked order and was most comfortable with an organized and structured lifestyle. When this climate was absent, Addison would set about immediately to create it.

Addison was born on May 9, 1983 at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver Colorado. Her parents were Deb and Paul Brattebo. Addison was raised in Evergreen, Colorado. She was brought up to be reasonable in her actions and was taught to use her intellect wisely. She was an honest and straightforward child, traits that reinforced her self-confidence. Even at a young age, Addison was credited with having a positive influence on those around her.

The positive atmosphere that Addison generated spread to her family. Addison was raised with four siblings. She had three brothers, Parker, Scott, and Travis, and one sister, Ashley. Addison served as a catalyst within the family. She often found herself in the role of providing fair solutions to those sibling disputes. In every family activity, Addison was able to demonstrate her uncommon logic and skill at building compromise.

Addison's enthusiasm for learning and the personal energy that enthusiasm generated led to her exhibiting leadership qualities early on in her childhood. She liked to see things executed properly and showed a skill for taking control of situations that were drifting out of control. At the same time, she was willing to experiment with different approaches as she worked a plan towards a solution. As a young girl, she took part in soccer and softball. She was a member of Brownies and the Westernaires. In her spare time she liked taking piano lessons, attending church camps and Young Life. Addison's memorable achievements included writing fabulous stories that earned her a creative writing award and receiving a community service award.

When it came to academics and school, Addison's organizational skills reaped dividends. Addison was able to create a system for getting her class work done in a proper and timely manner. With a strong ability to analyze her schoolwork and assignments, she could apply a practical, common sense approach completing her studies. She showed a natural curiosity in the manner in which she tackled new types of problems and would regularly challenge her own reasoning ability in finding solutions. She graduated from Oak Creek Academy in 2001. She enjoyed some courses more than others and developed favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was Literature. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was Ms. Freedean.

In a group of friends and acquaintances, Addison was typically the first person to take the initiative to go up and greet someone new. That quality made her very approachable by others throughout her life. This same quality brought Addison the reward of many friends. Maintaining loyalty to those friends was a trait that came naturally to Addison. She believed that she should treat others in a fair manner, in the same way she wanted to be treated. Addison also showed a great deal of appreciation for the accomplishments of her friends. While growing up, some of her best friends were Nikki Sjoden, and Michelle Plante.

As Addison knew in other aspects of her life, she had a clear vision of what she sought in a relationship and worked hard to achieve it. Andrew was a significant part of her life, and it wasn’t necessary for Addison to be overly sentimental or expressive about it for others to be aware of their mutual devotion. Addison's secret to success was that she always kept the lines of communication open in the marriage and applied the important skill of being a good listener.

Family and children were important to Addison, even if she didn’t always show it. Addison was blessed with two children, one daughter, Brooklyn and one son, Gavin. Addison was able to keep order in the family by using the same efficient and straightforward methods with the family as she did at work. Addison rarely made a scene when it came to discipline. Instead, she was subtle and patient in her dealings when teaching the children right from wrong.

At work Addison was viewed as a natural leader. She could marshal all of the available resources, including personnel and materials, in order to meet virtually any objective. She was great at developing strategies and made maximum progress with little wasted effort. Addison was also adept at uncovering new and more efficient ways of getting things done. She was able to establish and meet objectives and schedules through long range planning and was always able to keep the big picture clearly in sight. Although Addison might have been described by some as an overachiever, she was without question a dedicated and diligent employee. Her primary occupation was Resident Care Coordinator.

Not only did Addison find pleasure in pursuing her various hobbies, she also enjoyed the discovery and research involved in learning about them. Her skill at problem solving had a positive influence on these activities as well. Her favorite pursuits were boating and hiking.

No matter what the activity was, Addison had the ability to motivate others. This talent influenced her participation in sports, too. She sought out the possibilities in a competitive situation, and she stayed cool and calm under pressure. She relished the stimulation of the action and energy associated with sports. In high school, Addison played soccer. She was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Top on her list was football, she was an avid fan of the Denver Broncos.

Addison was a woman who took pride in upholding her beliefs. When she became active in community affairs, she did so in the same determined and forthright manner that she applied to other aspects of her life, serving on committees for the Community Volunteers for the Elderly.

Addison lived her life guided by a well-defined set of beliefs. Her faith and religion were important aspects of those beliefs. She was a member of New Hope Church.

Traveling, especially vacations, was another way for Addison to apply her exceptional leadership and organizational skills. She liked exploring different places but also enjoyed designing and scheduling the trips in advance. She had real talent for developing the perfect itineraries. Favorite vacations included Colorado and the Oregon coast.

Addison was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Addison's favorites was Cody, her dog. They were best friends for 9 years.

Addison passed away on March 1, 2012 at her home in Oregon City, Oregon. She passed away in her sleep. She is survived by her husband, Andrew; son, Gavin; and brother, Parker. Services were conducted by Lincoln Memorial Park and Funeral Home.

Addison J. Ball knew what she wanted from life and never hesitated in going after it. She could be characterized as a driven individual, someone who understood the importance of achievement. Addison was decisive and outspoken at times but was also positive and upbeat about most things. She was a leader, both intentionally and sometimes by default. If she saw that something needed to be done, she was always ready to step up and actualize, organize and implement a plan.