Cindy Ball

Cindy Poirier Ball, 64, of Gurnee, IL., passed away peacefully at Advocate Condell Hospital following a courageous 11-year battle with ovarian cancer. Cindy was surrounded by her loving family when God called her home.

Cindy grew up in Wildwood, IL and attended Woodland Elementary School and Warren Township High School. Cindy was the 1974 Warren High School Girls’ State Representative, and during her senior year she was the recipient of the distinguished Gilbert Clem Scholarship Award.                                     

In 1980 Cindy graduated from Western Illinois University (WIU) earning a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in human resources. Professionally, Cindy improved the quality of health care in Lake County by recruiting capable and qualified nurses for Vista and Northwestern/Lake Forest Hospitals for more than 35 years. She was a past board member and treasurer of the Chicago Nurse Recruiter Organization and was well regarded in the HR recruitment field.

Cindy had several avocations. She was an avid reader since childhood and shared her love of books with many. She was also a skilled writer whose pen could evoke humor, seriousness, joy, and sadness depending on the intention of her missive.  A keen observer of the human condition, Cindy often displayed her amazing and acerbic wit in her writings and her conversations. Moreover, Cindy had the soul of an artist, a talent passed on to her from her beloved father. Dancing brought Cindy great joy, as did attending plays, watching her recorded movies and television programs, and the Annual Academy Awards.

In 1984, Cindy married the love of her life, Carl ‘Spark’ Ball.  They met their freshman year at WIU. Together they became parents in 1994 when their son, Carl Edward Ball joined the family, soon followed by Renee Janine in 1995. There was nothing Cindy loved more than “family time” because her children were the light of her life, greatest pride, and her lasting achievement.

Throughout her life, Cindy nurtured and developed her genuine Christian faith personally and with her family. Cindy attended Village Church of Gurnee with her family for over 15 years. More recently she began to attend Immanuel Church in Gurnee and cherished her weekly Zoom bible study with her sisters-in Christ along with the small group bible study with her husband.  Cindy relied on her faith to sustain and comfort her throughout her long illness.

Cindy was proceeded in death by her father, William James Poirier and is survived by her husband, Carl ‘Spark’ Ball; her children, Carl Edward and Renee Janine (Brandon); her mother, Dolores (née Witte) Poirier; her brother, Bill (Chrissy) Poirier; her sister, Nancy (Bill) McCormick; her mother-in-law, Karen Ball; her sister-in-law, Cheryl (Alan) Marttila. Cindy is also survived by many beloved aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. She is also survived by a cherished “sister-cousin”, Margie Witte Breckenfeld and special “sister-friends”, Ann Graham Deuel, and Debbie Gonyo Hoselton. Lastly, included in those mourning Cindy’s passing is her treasured dog, Chase.

To honor Cindy’s memory, the Ball family will host a “Celebration of Life” on Saturday, July 31, 2021. The Open House celebration will occur from 2:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. at the Ball Family home: 1297 Waveland Ave. Gurnee, IL.  A memorial service will commence at 3:00 p.m. All those who knew and loved Cindy (and her immediate and extended family) are welcome to come and share happy memories together.

Per Cindy’s wishes, and in lieu of flowers, the Ball family would be grateful for donations made in Cindy’s memory to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance. Checks can be mailed to: Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, P.O. Box 32141, New York, NY. 10087, or may be made by email to: [email protected].