Roll Call Tribute

Published in Dallas Morning News on Feb. 2, 2015

John R. Ball Jr.(1922 - 2015)
BALL, JR., John R. John R. Ball, Jr., 92, passed away Wednesday, January 28, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. Services will be held Tuesday, February 3 at 9:30 am at Flower Mound Family Funeral Home with internment services held at the DFW National Cemetery at 11:30 am. Mr. Ball was born in Austin, Texas, on November 7, 1922, to Alberta and John R. Ball. He graduated from Sunset High School in Dallas and was a member of the Class of 1944 at The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University). The entire class of '44 volunteered for active duty during World War II, and those who returned, graduated in 1947. During the war, Mr. Ball served in the 1696 Engineer Combat Battalion, B Company. He graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering in 1947. Mr. Ball earned his Master's degree in Municipal and Sanitary Engineering in 1948, receiving the first-ever grant by the Texas AMC Civil Engineering Department for graduate studies. He then enlisted in the Army Reserves and served 25 months in the Combat Engineers, retiring as Captain. He taught in the engineering department at Texas AMC and later taught surveying at Arlington State College, now UTA. He became a Registered Professional Engineer in 1951 and a Registered Public Surveyor in 1956. Mr. Ball then began a long career as an independent consulting engineer in Arlington. Some of his projects included Indian Hills, Shady Valley, The Oaks, and Tiffany Park. Mr. Ball became the first private consulting engineer for Las Colinas and worked to develop all land south of Highway 114. He served six years as an Arlington City Councilman. Mr. Ball enjoyed spending time at his ranch in Jacksboro, Texas, raising Longhorn cattle. He served as President of the Texas Longhorn Breeder's Association for two years, during which time he conceived and developed the well remembered Texas Longhorn Trail Drive running daily during the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas. He had many outdoor interests and was an avid fisherman and hunter. He also delighted in creating carefully engineered welded iron tables for friends and loved ones. His cactus garden and yard art was a source of joy. Mr. Ball was preceded in death by his two sons, David Rufus Ball and Richard Douglas Ball. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Beverly, of Flower Mound; his daughter Judy Prather (Harold) of Burleson; sisters Mary Helen Reynolds and Catherine Borgstedt of Arlington; stepdaughter Allison Caldwell of Flower Mound; stepsons Don Caldwell (Terry) of Granbury, Steve Caldwell (Beth) of Ft. Worth, Scott Caldwell (Nikki) of Fort Worth; grandchildren Kristin Kell (Scott) of Houston, Patrick Prather (Rachel) of Richardson, Aaron Ball (Lauren) of Prosper, Shonnie Ball of Washington, D.C., Hilary Ely (Hervey) of Haslett, Laura Hall (Cade) of Mansfield, Nathan Ball of Fort Worth, Daniel Caldwell of Irving, Cassie Woodlee (Kevin) of Cresson, Sarah Vaughn (Brett) of Granbury, Dylan and Ethan Caldwell of Fort Worth, and Bryan and Matthew Caldwell of Pascagoula, MS. He was blessed with fourteen great grandchildren. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.



Funeral Home
Flower Mound Family Funeral Home
3550 Firewheel Dr Flower Mound, TX 75028
(972) 436-6513