Sept. 21, 1926 ~ Nov. 22, 2025
Harold Wright Ball, born Sept. 21, 1926, died Nov. 22, 2025, at the age of 99.
Harold Ball was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, the first of two sons of Wright and Marguerite Ball of Meeker. The family later moved to Long Beach, California, to be with Wright’s aunt Lucille.
After the earthquake in Long Beach in March of 1933, the Ball family moved back to Meeker, residing in the Meeker Hotel and later in the family home at 10 E. Market St.
Harold graduated from Meeker High School in 1945 and then attended the University of Colorado.
Harold was a track star while at Meeker High School, holding the fastest time in the 100 yd. and 220 yd. dash and was on the state qualifying relay team that year.
He still holds the record for the 100 yd. dash, but that doesn’t exist now after the change from yards to meters.
After school, Harold worked with road survey crews working on Colorado Highway 64 to Rangely.
After two years at the University of Colorado, Harold went to work for the Colorado Department of Highways as a civil engineer. He worked on US 40 at Rabbit Ears Pass, I-70 from Eagle to Copper Mountain either as a “dirt or structure” engineer.
After Vail Pass, he was part of the preliminary surveys of I-70 through the Glenwood Canyon. That work involved day after day of climbing up and down the north side of the canyon, setting survey stakes and pins.
Harold retired from the Highway Department in 1982. He came home to the “poor farm” and took care of his mother until her passing.
After her death he spent his remaining years traveling to Europe, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong among other trips.
He was a loving uncle and friendly face around town, whether at the Post Office or the Chuckwagon.
Later in life he enjoyed card games with his nephew Jack and Polly. He hated to lose to Polly and exclaimed that if he lost he would drive off in a ”sniff and a huff” but it still was in his Ford. By the way, he often lost.
Harold never married but enjoyed his nephews Jack and Brian and his niece Ann and their families.
He is preceded in death by his parents and brother.
He is survived by nephew Jack (Polly), niece Ann, and nephew Brian along with Jack and Ann’s children and grandchildren.
Services are not planned and his ashes will be scattered later next spring.
Donations can be made to the Walbridge Memorial Care Wing in care of Grant Mortuary.
Hallie Blunt wrote a wonderful piece on Harold for the Rio Blanco Herald Times Dec. 21, 2012: https://www.theheraldtimes.com/meekers-fastest-100-yard-dash/meeker/
