Joe Holcombe Ball, II, 74, of Atlantic Beach, N.C., formerly of Nashville and Hot Springs, Ark., died on Nov. 8, 2018, after a brief bout with pancreatic cancer.
Joe was preceded in death by his beloved son, Winfred Hayden Ball II; his father and mother, Winfred Hayden Ball and Amy Holcombe Ball Johnston; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Diane Ball Williams and her husband, Dr. Randolph Williams, and Rebecca Ball Worthington and her husband, Gerry Worthington.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Pamela Nielsen Ball of Atlantic Beach, N.C.; his daughter, Allison Ball Horn and her husband, Jason, of Nashville, and their children, Jett and Anna Horn; his grandson, Grayson Carter Ball of Springdale, Ark.; his sister-in-law, Jacqueline Nielsen Brasher of Savannah, Ga.; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Joe was born on Dec. 7, 1943, in Hope, Ark. After graduating from Nashville High School, Joe attended the University of Arkansas, where he was member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Following a few years of wanderlust with Pam after they married in April of 1969, they returned to Nashville, the place Joe loved the most, where he served as mayor for 12 years from January 1978 to December 1990. He was named the Nashville Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year in 1989. After Joe’s terms as mayor, he helped establish the Upper Southwest Regional Solid Waste Management District north of Nashville, which serves a nine county area.
His family and lifelong friends were his brothers and sisters in every way. Joe tried to support them through all of life’s joys and trials. When he fell short himself, they never stopped loving and caring for him.
The brightest light in his life was his grandson, Grayson. With great enjoyment, he sat through hours of watching Sponge Bob Square Pants and playing Super Mario before moving to North Carolina five years ago to be close to Pam’s family.
A memorial service was held at St. Francis by the Sea, 920 Salter Path Road, Atlantic Beach, NC, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. A reception followed in the fellowship hall immediately following the service. A graveside service is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the Bingen-Ozan Cemetery, near Nashville, where many of Joe’s ancestors, including his father and sister, Rebecca, are interred. The family will host a reception at the home of Allison and Jason, 286 Country Club Road, Nashville, following the graveside service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Electronic condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family at, www.noefs.org
