Leonard Andrew Ball passed away on March 18, 2020 after a long illness. Leonard was born in the Hasty community of Thomasville on February 16, 1931. His parents, Jacob Ellet Ball and Martha Lalah Kennedy, came from families steeped in the value of hard work. Jacob was a farmer and Martha taught in a one room school house in Davidson County, North Carolina. Martha passed away when Leonard was ten years old, in 1941, leaving Jacob with six children – Marvin, Melvin, Virginia, Leon, Vernell and Leonard. They all pitched in to milk the cows, tend the vegetable garden and raise acres of tobacco. After graduating from Hasty High School, Leonard joined the US Marine Corp and served his country faithfully for eight years. He met and fell in love with a North State Telephone Company cord board operator, Shirley Brown. They were married on January 7, 1954 and recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary. After release from active duty, Leonard graduated from Radio and TV school and then took a job with Overnite Transportation Company, retiring from the company in 1992 after 34 years of service. Leonard and Shirley had three children, Steve, Lynn and Mark.
Leonard and Shirley moved to Shallotte, NC and enjoyed several years of retirement beach bliss before moving back to High Point. They were active members of Westchester Baptist Church. Leonard enjoyed playing the guitar, camping in their RV, building anything Shirley asked for and fixing anything broken.
Leonard is survived by Shirley; his son, Steve Ball (Glenda), his daughter, Lynn Welborn (Darrell), his son Mark Ball (Judy), grandchildren, Rebecca Ball, Michael Ball and Andrew Welborn, three step-grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, sister Vernell Lanier and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery with Rev. Eric Peacock officiating. The family requests that memorials be directed to Westchester Baptist Church, P.O. Box 5188 High Point, N.C. 27262.
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