Joan Ball

Joan Arlene Ball, age 80 of New Hampton, Iowa died Thursday December 3, 2015, at the Unity Point Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. A Mass of Christian burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday December 7, 2015 at Holy Family Catholic Church in New Hampton with Rev. Mark Osterhaus officiating the Mass. Lector for the service will be Jammy Galligan. Presenting the offertory gifts will be Heather Ball and Jared Galligan. Ann Bennett will be the organist with Mary Beth Kamrath-Ovel accompanying the congregation in song. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, New Hampton at a later date with Jammy Galligan, Melissa Hartung, Rayna Halverson, Heather Ball and Jared Galligan as pallbearers. Nick Kelly will be an honorary pallbearer. Friends may greet the family from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Sunday December 6, 2015 at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home in New Hampton. Visitation will continue an hour prior to the Mass at church on Monday. Joan Arlene Ball was born June 7, 1935 in New Hampton, Iowa the daughter of Thomas and Luella (Katz) Parks. She attended Fredericksburg schools all throughout high school and graduated in 1953. Shortly after graduation she met the love of her life, Raymond Ball. They were at a dance near the Sumner area. On June 8, 1954, the couple was married at St. Josephs Catholic Church in New Hampton. To this union three children were born. After Ray returned home from the service, the couple moved to Cedar Falls. Ray continued his education while Joan stayed home and raised their three children. In 1961 the family moved to Tama. They were there for nine years before moving back to New Hampton in 1970. Joan worked at Hogan’s Sporting Good Store before going to work for Comprehensive Systems, where she worked for many years. Joan loved to quilt, cook, bake, shop and sing. She always enjoyed going to card club, participating on the bowling team and going to Florida for the winter with Ray. She will be remembered as a loving and caring person who would do anything to help someone she loved. Joan had an extraordinary love for her grandchildren. She will be dearly missed. Joan is survived by two children, Valerie Ball of Clive, IA and Thomas (Joannie) Ball of Bradenton, FL; four grandchildren, Jammy Galligan, Melissa Hartung, Rayna Halvorson and Heather Ball; three great-grandchildren, Nick Kelly, Jared Galligan and Cooper Jones; two sisters, Claudia Schueller and Doris (Chet) Finnegan both of New Hampton. She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Susan Ball on November 29, 2006; husband, Ray on June 14, 2010; one brother, Donnie Parks; special aunt, Beverly Brietbach; special neighbor and friend, Priscilla Niels.