Michael A. Ball

‘One-of-a-kind’ Michael Ball was a ‘daily presence’ in communityFor Michael A. Ball, our great friend and eccentric provocateur of life’s daily routines in the Duvall area, the last curtain call has suddenly arrived.It may be that such an entry into the blast furnace of eternity would not register as more than the tiniest blip on our vast planet – but here, in our little town, his multitude of friends and family are still reeling and may yet need counseling at the loss of this member of our community who meant so much to many of us that “life” will now for some folks be divided into two parts: the days of Mike Ball and the days after.Michael A. BallMichael A. Ball was born in Slaton, Texas, September 15th, 1946. He was the middle son of Bill and Evelyn Ball. Evelyn taught elementary school and Bill owned a clothing store, the O.Z. Ball & Company, where Mike worked as a teenager and into his early twenties. Legend has it that he was frequently fired by his father. Mike is survived by his wife, Lori Peterson, of Duvall, and his two brothers, Steve Ball of Commerce, Texas and Robert Ball of Tulsa, Oklahoma and his many nephews.Mike graduated from Slaton High School in 1964 and enrolled in Texas Tech in nearby Lubbock, Texas that fall. He was originally an agriculture major, but knew ultimately that art was his calling and ended up with a fine arts degree. His love for the American West developed when he and his friend, David Jaynes, took fishing and camping trips venturing further and further north and westward until Mike eventually found his way to the Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Duvall and ultimately Stossell Creek Rd. where it is rumored that heaven exists.An unforgettable presence in the Duvall community, the former Montana hunting guide was an artist, astrologer, barista, bartender, cartoonist, fly fisherman, haberdasher, playwright, potter and sign painter as well as a remarkable raconteur for which he was most well-noted and ad-lib counselor to many, many friends.Michael A. Ball handily fulfilled the expression, “one-of-a-kind.”