Raymond Ball

Raymond “Bunt” Ball, 78, of Cleveland passed away on Thursday, March 15, 2012 at home after a long struggle with lung cancer. Raymond was born in Tulare County, California on March 15, 1934 to the late Clarence and Lydia Delema Ball. He served twice in the United States Army and was honorably discharged November 30, 1962. He worked for a short period of time as a welder in Detroit Michigan before going to work at Combustion Engineering in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he retired after thirty years in 1986. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Local #656. He had a passion for bluegrass music, dancing and spending time with his family, grandchildren and friends. He attended church at Philippi Baptist Church. In addition to his parents; he was preceded in death by three sons: Randy, Eddie and Chris Ball; and brother Richard Ball. He is survived by his loving wife, Charlotte Ball of Cleveland; daughter, Pat McBee and husband, Tony of Knoxville; son, Terry Ball and wife Crystal of Cleveland; step-daughter, Deirdre Barnhart and husband, Mark of Knoxville; step-son, Blake Johnson of Cleveland; sister, Helen “Bit” Thompson and husband Carl of Athens; brother, Rex “Dink” Ball of Niota; sister-in-law, Janice Ball of Cleveland; eight grandchildren: Niki, Ashley, Josh, Riley, Cole, Macy, Clay and Savannah; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 8:00 p.m. Sunday, March 18, 2012 in the chapel of Ralph Buckner Funeral Home with Pastor Sammy Hooker officiating. Interment will be Monday at 11:00 a.m. in Beulah Chapel Church of the Nazarene Cemetery in Niota. Tommy Roden, Murel Graham, Vernon Graham, Ralph Chase, Bill Lee and Bill Viars serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be James Bolton, John Bolton, Harold Graham, Verlyn Corbin, Bill Thompson, Stanley Millsaps. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service. The family will receive friends from 4-7:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. The family would like to thank all of our family and friends who provided, meals, cards, acts of kindness and words of comfort through phone calls, visits and prayers over the past two years during Raymond’s illness. He was very blessed to have developed very special long-standing friendships throughout his life and your kindness lifted his spirits and the families. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Ball family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.