Dr. James M. Ball

1927 - 2020

Dr. James M. Ball

Raleigh, NC - Dr. James M. Ball, 93 of Raleigh, NC, formerly of East Tennessee, died on May 14, 2020. A Memorial Service will be held at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church in Raleigh at a later date.

Jimmy was preceded in death by infant son Byron Phillip Ball, son James Monroe Ball, III (Trey), parents J. Monroe and Harriet Easterly Ball, stepmother Alicia Summers Ball, sister Elizabeth Lanning, and beloved Aunt Julia and Uncle Sherman Jarrell. Survivors include his beloved wife of 67 years, Betty Joyce Fox Ball; daughter Julia Berry and husband Dr. Bill Berry of Wake Forest, NC; son Christopher and wife Christine of Los Angeles, CA; brother, Cullen and wife Ann of South Pittsburgh, TN; brother William and wife Jenny of Knoxville, TN; grandchildren Michael and Emily Pratt, Nicholas and Preston Ball, Erin Spalinski (David), Rachel Berry (Ben Young), James Berry; great-grandchildren Noah Spalinski and Thomas Young. There are also several nieces and nephews.

Jimmy was born in Athens, TN. He graduated from Greeneville High School, Greeneville, TN after which he enlisted in the US Army, where he served as a Finance Clerk Typist with the 120 Replacement Battalion at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii. He graduated from Tennessee Wesleyan College with an AB degree and later received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity; Emory & Henry College; and Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Atlanta, GA.

Jimmy was a member of the Holston Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church for over 40 years, where he served the Rising Fawn Circuit, Rising Fawn, GA; Woodmore UMC, Chattanooga, TN; Concord UMC, Knoxville, TN; Keith Memorial UMC, Athens, TN; First UMC, Morristown, TN; Middlebrook Pike UMC, Knoxville, TN. He also served the Chattanooga, TN and Big Stone Gap, VA districts as District Superintendent.

He was an active member of Boards and Agencies in the Conference, serving on The Board of Trustees of the Holston Conference Colleges; a member of the Board of Trustees of Tennessee Wesleyan College; a member of the Board of Directors of Holston Home for Children and Asbury Acres Retirement Homes. Other activities in which he was involved were: building Habitat for Humanity Homes, Second Harvest and Wake Interfaith Hospitality Network.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the J. Monroe and Alicia Ball Scholarship Fund, Tennessee Wesleyan University, 204 East College Street, Athens, TN 37303 or Hayes Barton United Methodist Church 2209 Fairview Road, Raleigh, NC 27608.