The son of Grace Seely Ball and James A. Ball, he was born on October 18, 1924 in Malden, MA. His father died of pneumonia 3 months before his birth and his twin brother died at 15 months. Grace married George Morin in 1927 and he was the only father Jim ever knew.
Jim graduated from Norwalk, CT high school and joined the Maritime Service, serving on the Army Hospital Ship Chateau Thierry in the Atlantic and Pacific where he met and married Helen May Harrison of Morganton, NC. After a period of inactive Navy Reserve, Jim returned to active duty in 1951 during the Korean War with the Navy Sea Transportation Service making over 137 trips to Europe and the Mediterranean. Jim loved the sea.
After leaving sea service, Jim settled in Morganton in the late 1950’s, working at Drexel Furniture and later as manager for Kentucky Fried Chicken.
In the 1980’s and until retirement in 1997, Jim worked for J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center and Western Piedmont Community College as a developmental technician/resident instructor with Autistic and Down Syndrome residents.
Jim was an active member of Morganton First Church of God until he moved to Raleigh in 2008 to be near his daughter, Karen. He was faithful in his service to God in attendance to Sunday services while at Magnolia Glen. He made many friends and enjoyed the companionship and love of Jean Heafner.
Jim was preceded in death by his second wife of 40+ years, Fran Mills Ball in 2007 and former wife, Helen Harrison Ball Dyer in 2001.
Jim is survived by his daughter, Karen Ball James (Jack) of Cary, NC; stepson, Brad Drake Ball of Morganton, NC; grandchildren, Meredith Cruise (Shane) of Raleigh, NC, Josh Brown (Lindsey) of Charlotte, NC, and Christopher Ball (son of Brad) of Merritt Island, FL.
The family wishes to thank the kind and caring staff at Magnolia Glen and the wonderful care and support provided by Hospice of Wake County.
A funeral service will be held at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 200 S.E. Maynard Road, Cary on Monday, September 2, 2013 at 6:00 PM with the family receiving friends after the service. Entombment will be at Burke Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel in Morganton on Tuesday, September 3 at 1:00 PM.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Wake County, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607 or First United Methodist Church of Cary for the ZOE ministry, 117 S. Academy Street, Cary, NC 27511.
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