Lorraine Ball

With a life that spanned nearly a century, Lorraine Ball managed to touch the hearts of many people. Although she was shy and often kept to herself, she was kind and gentle toward others. A more devoted mother would be hard to find as she considered it both her highest calling and her greatest blessing to care for the children she shared with the love of her life. A true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, Lorraine was never boisterous or overbearing in her faith, but through all the peaks and valleys of her life her faith never wavered. She witnessed times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, which all worked together to shape her into the extraordinary woman who was so dearly loved. Lorraine’s family finds comfort in knowing that she is resting in the arms of Jesus in her eternal home.

If one could turn back the pages in time, the year 1919 would reveal a very different America than the one we know today. This was the year we emerged from WWI as a world leader and as a result, the world looked to us to set the pace. Women were given the right to vote during this year while tobacco was big business. The mass production of the automobile created a nationwide prosperity that resulted in one of the most profound social changes in American history. Amidst this vibrant time there was much to celebrate for one young couple from Grand Rapids, Michigan, since they were overjoyed to announce the birth of a healthy baby girl on April 14th. Lorraine Katherine was welcomed into the loving arms of her parents, Richard and Cornelia (Goudzwaard) Timmer, and was their only child. In many ways, Lorraine lived a life that was rather typical for the youth of her generation. She attended West Side Christian School and later went on to Grand Rapids Christian High School. Tragedy struck in the lives of Lorraine and her mother with the death of Lorraine’s father when she was just sixteen years old.

After graduating from high school in 1936, Lorraine was able to secure employment as a comp operator in the office at Imperial Furniture. These were the days of the Great Depression and although there were countless Americans without jobs, Lorraine continued to work.

Life would never be the same for Lorraine after she made the acquaintance of the man with whom she would share the best years of her life. His name was Cornelius (Casey) Ball and they met through her future sister-in-law who was dating one of Casey’s brothers. After falling deeply in love, the couple was married on November 21, 1944, while Casey was on active duty with the Army. Lorraine followed her new husband to Washington, D. C. where he was stationed, but she returned to Grand Rapids while he was deployed. When his duty to his country was fulfilled about four and a half years later, they returned to Grand Rapids together where they settled into a small apartment on Crescent NE.

The couple was thrilled with the birth of their daughter, Barb, in 1946. She was joined by their son, Richard, in 1949 and with his birth their family was complete. In order to accommodate their growing family, they moved from the apartment to a home on Alpine Avenue NW. They later moved to a home on 12th Street NW where they remained for 55 years. When it came to raising their children, Lorraine was the disciplinarian while Casey was the softer touch. She fully immersed herself in raising their children and was completely devoted to putting the needs of her family ahead of her own. For years the family enjoyed fun-filled vacations to a cottage on a lake every year, usually on Big Star Lake or Silver Lake. This was the perfect compromise for Lorraine since they not only had some time off, but they also weren’t that far from the home she loved.

The Ball home ran like a well-oiled machine thanks to Lorraine. She was a meticulous housekeeper whose home was a haven from the outside world. In fact, she loved being at home more than anywhere else, especially when she was surrounded by her family. Everything that came out of Lorraine’s kitchen was fantastic, and her Sunday dinners of roast beef or ham were among some of the meals they enjoyed most. Her apple bread and apple pie were some of her most delicious sweet treats. Lorraine was very frugal when it came to stretching the family dollar as she was always mindful of paying the bills first. Actually, she always worried about having bills go unpaid, but in reality she was too organized to allow that to happen.

Although much of Lorraine’s time was wrapped up in her family, she did have the time to pursue her interests now and then. Her faith was her constant companion, and she was a lifelong member of Broadway Christian Reformed Church, which later became known as Westview after it relocated. For years Lorraine composed the church bulletins for the Sunday worship services. She enjoyed canning, knitting, and doing crossword puzzles. Even though she was rather introverted and loved being at home, Lorraine liked regularly going out to eat – although it was always nothing fancy, just practical. She volunteered folding laundry at the Christian Rest Home for many years.

As they entered the sunset of their lives, Lorraine and Casey left their home after 55 years and moved into independent living at Covenant Village of the Great Lakes five years ago. As their health declined, Lorraine moved into skilled nursing three years ago while Casey moved to assisted living. Although the initial thought of having to give up some of her independence was a bit hard for Lorraine, she found that she actually appreciated the extra help. Over the past few years the aging process took its toll on her body and she later drew her last breath.

In everything she did, Lorraine Ball was a woman of true beauty and grace. She was a perfectionist who could be shy, but she easily gave of her time to those around her. A loving wife, devoted mother, and doting grandmother and great-grandmother, Lorraine will be deeply missed.

Lorraine Katherine Ball died on Friday, April 1, 2011. Lorraine’s family includes her children, Barbara (Mark) Gelderloos, Richard D. (Diane) Ball; grandchildren, Daniel (Vicki) Gelderloos, Laura (Brian) Polese, Lisa (Travis) Schmid, Megan (Janell) Ball; great grandchildren, Ryan, Will and Luke Gelderloos; sisters-in-law, Ruth Ball and Celia Dykstra; and many nieces and nephews. Lorraine was preceded in death by her husband, Cornelius (Casey). Funeral services will be held Monday at 3 p.m. at the Heritage Lifestory Funeral Homes, Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW with interment in Washington Park Memorial Gardens. Friends may meet the family on Sunday from 6-8 p.m. and on Monday for one hour prior to the service. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or photo, sign the online guestbook, or make a memorial contribution to Hospice of Michigan 989 Spaulding SE, Ada, 49301.