Richard (“Dick”)
James Ball passed away quietly at his Salt Lake City home on December 8, 2015 at the age of 84. Born in Idaho Falls, ID three days after
Christmas in 1930, Richard was a special gift to his parents Leonard Garfield
and Sybil Frongner Ball, as the youngest of their 14 children. Richard grew up
in Ammon but went to high school in Idaho Falls where he excelled as a
basketball player and where he met Bonnie Rae Matthews, who he called
the love of his life. When he reached
the appropriate age, he was called to serve a mission in Germany, while Bonnie
waited at home. On May 7, 1954 the two were married in the Idaho Falls LDS
Temple, spending 60 years of their eternity together until she passed in March
of 2014.
Richard and
Bonnie lived in Provo while Richard earned his degree from BYU and Bonnie
taught Home Education at Provo High School. After graduation, Dick and Bonnie
moved with their children, Deborah and Bradford, to Tustin, CA near Richard's
parents who had moved to Long Beach. Richard worked in banking for most of his
career in Southern California and in Utah.
The family moved
to St. George in 1972 and settled in Bloomington so Richard could pursue his
passion for golf and where in those early years, he could walk out of his
backyard and start a round. Richard’s love of golf is only surpassed by his
love of family including daughter Deborah Roberts of Salt Lake City and son Bradford
(Tracy) Ball of Gilbert, AZ. He also
leaves behind five beloved grandchildren and five precious great-grandchildren;
two sisters and a sister-in-law.
His quiet,
unassuming personality and friendly smile will be missed by those neighbors,
friends and ward family members who knew and loved him.
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