Norma Maxine Ball

Our loving, beautiful mother and faithful wife, Norma Ball, 93, of Joplin, left this world and flew to Heaven on October 13, 2020. She was born on November 12, 1926, to Randolph and Ruby Lois (Ledford) Gourley, into a family of three brothers and three sisters. A lifelong resident of the Joplin area, she met and married Earl Ball on May 7, 1943. A union that produced six children and lasted nearly forty-four years until his death in 1986. She was an active member of First Baptist Church Joplin until age prevented her from carrying out her attending services and working with her friends on the Kitchen Committee providing meals for the youth group, church wide fellowships, baby showers and funeral dinners, activities she enjoyed immensely. She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl; her oldest daughter, Linda; her youngest son, Lowell; two sisters, Lorene Hood and Fern Edwards; and two brothers, Gene and Carl Gourley. Survivors include her four children, Janis Ball, Rita (Ed) Breen, Neal (Marcia) Ball and Les Ball all of Joplin; eight grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren; and two siblings, Dean Gourley and Earlene Doke; as well as a host of other family and friends. Funeral services are 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 20, 2020, in the chapel of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary with Neal Ball officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Park Cemetery in Joplin. The family will receive friends on Monday evening from 5-7:00 p.m. in the mortuary chapel. Memorials are being directed to the Joplin Senior Center Meals on Wheels program c/o the mortuary. The family would like to express their heart felt gratitude to Hospice Compassus for their care, especially to Tara, Kathy, Mark and Melinda …Thank You. Arrangements are under the direction of Thornhill-Dillon Mortuary in Joplin.