Obituary: Dr. William S. Ball

Dr. William Sealy Ball, known to friends and family as Bill, passed away at Hillcrest Care Center in Wray, Colo., on March 8, 2013. He was born in Oakland, Calif., to William D. and John Ola (Sealy) Ball on April 12, 2013.
The family moved to Hayden, Colo., when Bill was a young child. There he attended school and was graduated May 16, 1947, from Hayden Union High School. He continued his studies at Colorado State University in Fort Collins where he received his master’s degree in agronomy.
Bill was married in 1950 to Mary Lenore (Mickey) Arnold. After graduation he was employed by the CSU Extension Program as county agent in Cortez, Colo. He then was county agent in Meeker before taking a job as area agronomist in the extension office in Burlington, Colo., in 1968. He went on to achieve the goal of becoming a doctor of agronomy when he received his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. During this period he had the privilege to work with the government of Chile in the development and growth of their national agriculture department. Later he moved with his wife and youngest daughter, Linda, to Fargo, N.D., where he worked for the University of North Dakota. He retired in the McAllen, Texas, area where Mickey was a school teacher.
They enjoyed trips in their RV. They spent the winters in Texas and returned to Colorado for the cooler summers. They stayed at what the family calls “The Little Ranch” outside of Hayden during the summers. Bill resided in Burlington for the last few years before moving to the to the care center in Wray shortly before his death.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife and one brother, David.
He is survived by his six children: David Craig Ball of Midland, Texas; Mary Theresa Scheierman (Rod) of Burlington; Victoria Ann Kosch of Omaha, Neb.; Charlene Michele McArthur (Larry) of Burlington; Kimberely Cay Castro (Joe) of Lafayette, Colo.; and Linda Marlene Miller (Steve) of Dallas, Texas. Also surviving him are his grandchildren: Justin Kosch, Lacey Fisher, Kelley Moreno, Lark Scheierman Mangus, Alex Scheierman, Laura McArthur, McKenzie Scheierman, Hollyanne Jordan, Kaitlyn Taylor and Maiji Castro; eight great-grandchildren; brother John Ball; sister Sonya Dunning, sister-in-law Darlene Ball; brother- and sister-in-law James and Melba Arnold; and many nieces and nephews.
Graveside service and burial were at the Hayden Cemetery on March 16, 2013. Arrangements were provided by Grant Mortuary in Craig.