Homer K. Ball

Contributed by Jeff Harvey

These articles appeared in the Princeton Times. The first followed Homer's death in 2008 and the second was in response to naming of a portion of State Route 20 in his honor.

Dedicated Civil Servant Passes Away

ATHENS - One of Mercer County’s most dedicated civil servants, former Mercer County Sheriff, State Senator and Delegate Homer Keaton Ball, died Thursday, August 21, 2008, at his residence in Athens, at the age of 83.

Ball was born in Lerona on October 15, 1924, to the late William Harvey and Sallie Keaton Ball.

In a 1998 interview with the Princeton Times, Ball said, “I grew up on a farm as a part of a family with seven children. My parents worked hard to give us an education. They also gave each of us the example of helping others in times of need. They just did things to help the community and it spilled over to us. Each of us has done things in our own way to help others. I’m proud of my heritage. “

Ball was a 1942 graduate of Athens High School, a 1948 Concord University graduate and received his Master's Degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan. While attending Concord, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served 25 months in the South Pacific, before being honorably discharged in 1946.

After trying and failing to get a job in his chosen field of education, Ball worked for the Virginia Department of Health before returning to Athens in 1953, when he bought the Athens Market on Vermillion St. The store operated until 1978 under the name of Ball’s Store.

Ball recalled in 1998, “In 1962, some friends came to me and asked if I’d be interested in running for County Commission (then County Court). After talking to my wife about it, I ran and lost to the incumbent (Frank “Red” Gibson) in (the primary) by 750 voles which was a good showing for a first effort.” (There were two other candidates in the primary).

In 1964, Ball was approached about running for Mercer County Sheriff. He said, “I talked to my wife and said that I thought it would give me an opportunity to provide for my family, since I had three (soon to be four) children at the time. I ran against a fellow townsman (Clyde White) who was part of the establishment at the time.” Also running in the race was Earl Yeager of Bluefield.

Ball served one term as sheriff, as state law at the time only allowed sheriffs to serve one term

During his time, Ball led a raid on moonshine still on Crumpecker Hill which saw him talk an armed man into surrendering his gun. A second raid, near the Mercer County Airport, was a bit more interesting.

“That raid made the news as ‘The Moonshine Railway’. The system was set up with a pulley which went through a culvert under the highway. They would send supplies on a child’s wagon attached by ropes through the culvert and returned the moonshine the same way,” he recalled.

As his term as Sheriff was winding down, Ball was contacted by his alma mater Concord about the job of Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds (Director of Physical Plant), replacing the retiring Kenneth Cooke. He served for 18-and-a-half years before retiring himself, serving under Concord Presidents Dr. Joseph F. Marsh, Jr., Dr. Billy Lee Coffendaffer, Dr. James Lee Rowley (interim), Dr. Meredith Freeman and Dr. Jerry Beasley.

After his 1988 retirement and a battle with cancer, Ball again became involved in local electoral politics.

“I had a good friend (the late Odell Huffman) who died in office (in 1995) and I was nominated by (the Mercer County Democratic Executive Committee) to fill his term in the House of Delegates. After the term was completed, I ran for a full term in the House,” he said.

When then-State Senator Tony Whitlow chose to run for Mercer County Assessor in 1996, Ball ran for the opened seat and won it, serving one term.

During his time as a State Senator, Ball sponsored the so-called “Tyler’s Bill’ named after a dog that saved his owner, a teacher at Whitethorn Elementary, from carbon monoxide poisoning. The bill required carbon monoxide detectors to be installed in new homes and had been drawn up by a couple the teachers’ then-students. He also sponsored legislation requiring the State Parole Board to allow crime victims and/or their families to testify at parole hearings and allowing towing companies to recover costs of towing abandoned vehicles in cases where the vehicle in question was valued at less than $1,000.

He also helped set up the process where Concord became a university along with three other college.

Ball also served as chairman of the Mercer County Democratic Party for several years as well as on the Mercer County Democratic Executive Committee.

He was a faithful member of the Concord United Methodist Church. He served on the Athens Town Council and as a representative on the National Silver Haired Congress. He was a member of Concord Masonic Lodge #48, AF and AM, Chapter #26, Royal Arch Masons and the Athens Lions Club, where he was Sight Conservation Chairman for many years.

Ball was a longtime supporter of the PikeView Foundation, Pipestem Foundation and Concord University. He initiated the support for the creation of the McDowell Mission. He was active in Little League Baseball and Habitant for Humanity.

Ball also sponsored the Homer K. Ball Golf Tournament at Pipestem State Park to raise money for CU scholarships and was active in the 1988 and 1992 Concord “Walks For Scholars”.

In addition to his parents, one daughter, Martha Jane Ball and two sisters, Gipsie Lee Kight and Joan Wright Brown, preceded him in death. Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Helen Blankenship Ball of Athens; one daughter, Laura Jean Ball of Greenville, N.C.; two sons, Gregory K. Ball and Phillip B. Ball and his wife Kathy all of Athens, W.Va.; two grandchildren, Martha Claire Ball and Jackson Henry Ball; two sisters, Madeline Hurt and her husband Jim Bob of Tazewell, Va. and Ruby Jean Bishop of Medina, Ohio; two brothers, William Kenneth Ball of Speedway, W.Va. and James W. “Jimmy” Ball and his wife Dreama of Lerona.

Funeral services were conducted 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 23, 2008, at the Concord United Methodist Church in Athens with the Rev. Greg Godwin officiating. He was buried in the Ball Family Cemetery at Speedway where Athens Masonic Lodge #48, AF and AM conducted graveside services. His wake was held at Seaver Funeral Home in Princeton Friday.

Memorial contributions may be made to Concord United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 746, Athens, WV 24712 or the Homer Ball Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Concord University Foundation, Athens, WV 24712.

Highway Named For Ball

ATHENS - In his lifetime of nearly 84 years, Homer K. Ball played many roles; son, brother, husband, father, soldier, Delegate, State Senator, Athens Town Councilman, Mercer County Sheriff, Mason, Lion, Democratic Party chair, church member and director of the Concord College Physical Plant.

On Saturday, those roles were honored by three members of the Mercer County legislative delegation, plus representatives of Concord University, the extended Ball family and friends in a packed State Room in the Jerry L. Beasley Student Center as State Route 20 from the Athens stoplight to the Summers County line was dedicated as the "Homer K. Ball Memorial Highway".

Debbie Griffith, CU's Advancement Development Officer, welcomed the crowd by saying, "We thank you for being here today to take part in this ceremony."

Del. John Frazier (D-Mercer), who first met Ball during the latter's time as a Concord employee, said, "Concord was a central part of Homer's life. He and several members of his family either graduated from or attended here and he spent 25 years of his life going to school and working here. When he was a State Senator, his nickname was 'Senator Concord', because he was certainly Concord's greatest advocate, but he also served his town, county, state and country."

Frazier was joined by State Senator Mark Wills (D-Mercer) and Del. Marty Gearhart (R-Mercer), as he read the legislative resolution declaring Route 20 from the Athens stoplight to the Summers County line the "Homer K. Ball Memorial Highway". The resolution unanimously passed both houses of the West Virginia Legislature after being introduced by Frazier, Gearhart and Joe Ellington (R-Mercer).

The resolution stated that Ball was born in Lerona on October 15, 1924, to the late William Harvey and Sallie Keaton Ball, one of seven children with three still living.

Ball served one term as sheriff, after being elected in 1964, as state law at the time only allowed sheriffs to serve one term.

After his 1988 retirement and a battle with cancer, Ball again became involved in local electoral politics.

He replaced the late Odell Huffman) who died in office (in 1995) after being nominated by (the Mercer County Democratic Executive Committee) to fill his term in the House of Delegates and then ran for a full term in the House.

When then-State Senator Tony Whitlow chose to run for Mercer County Assessor in 1996, Ball ran for the opened seat and won it, serving one term.

He also helped set up the process where Concord became a university along with three other college.

Ball also served as chairman of the Mercer County Democratic Party for several years as well as on the Mercer County Democratic Executive Committee.

Ball also sponsored the Homer K. Ball Golf Tournament at Pipestem State Park to raise money for CU scholarships and was active in the 1988 and 1992 Concord “Walks For Scholars”.

In addition to his parents, one daughter, Martha Jane Ball and two sisters, Gipsie Lee Kight and Joan Wright Brown, preceded him in death. A brother , William Kenneth Ball, died after him.

Family members present included his wife of 54 years, Helen Blankenship Ball of Athens; one daughter, Laura Jean Ball of Greenville, N.C.; two sons, Gregory K. Ball and Phillip B. Ball and his wife Kathy all of Athens, W.Va.; two grandchildren, Martha Claire Ball and Jackson Henry Ball; two sisters, Madeline Hurt and her husband Jim Bob of Tazewell, Va. and Ruby Jean Bishop of Medina, Ohio (who could not attend); and brother James W. “Jimmy” Ball and his wife Dreama of Lerona.

Concord President Dr. Gregory K. Aloia said, "Homer left a legacy on this company. He treated it as an extension of his own family."

Reading a letter from Congressman Nick Rahall (D-WV), Ball's son Greg said, "All roads in Homer Ball's world led to Athens. You could choose a hat and any of them fit Homer well. He had one eye on the big picture and the other on the sparrow."

After reading the letter, Greg Ball said, "This is the first time I've spoken in public about Dad since he died. It's fitting that we're naming this section of road after him because he camped out on that road as a kid, and I mean, literally camped out on that road. It was considerably less busy then."

He added, "He represented Concord as well as everybody else in his county. He's looking down and smiling on us."

Ball's longtime friend Robert Holroyd said, "Homer was only political in the fact that he needed to be to get elected. He was not afraid to say that something was wrong or to pat on the back when something was right, regardless of party. He had the respect of everyone."

Concord President Emeritus Dr. Jerry Beasley said, "Homer was an example of when you live the right life and go the right way. Homer, when he had his store, told people who couldn't pay their bills immediately, that they could pay when they could. He was essential in setting aside money to prepare Concord for university status and to upgrade education and business books to prepare for graduate school"

Hurt said, "Six of us were Concord people. We shared a great gift being siblings of Homer, because he had a special distinction of family."

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