Obituary of Wayne Ball
Wayne Ball, age 82, departed from our sight surrounded by his family at St. Elizabeth Hospice in Edgewood, KY on July 19, 2023. Born to Jay and Martha [Allen] Ball on February 14, 1941, Wayne grew up in Clay County, KY.
Life in the mountains was hard. Wayne’s younger years were not without hardship. There were bright spots, though. Being raised in Appalachia, Wayne learned to appreciate the simple yet bountiful beauty of nature. He enjoyed being outdoors always.
One sweet day, a teenage Wayne saw a beautiful young lady in a blue skirt while peeking in the windows of a local church. He and Anna Allen would go on adoring one another for 61 years. They married and moved to Cincinnati where they started their family and Wayne began working in the book binding business. He began his career at American Book Company and then worked his way up to become plant supervisor of the company he eventually retired from; The CJ Krehbiel Company (now BR Ohio). Wayne made sure that both of his children attended college, however, he didn’t. Wayne’s family and those who knew him dubbed him a “self-taught engineer.” Wayne possessed not only an innate mechanical ability but the ironclad work ethic and the gumption to solve problems, teach himself and figure things out on his own. He was never one to shy away from challenges. He encouraged this same philosophy in his children, always telling them “Never say I can’t, always say ‘I will try.“ Wayne could out-work anyone and he took on many hours of overtime and sacrificed much so that his family could thrive. Deep down, family was the most important thing to him. He cherished his children, Teresa and Rich as well as his grandkids. This honorable man with the dry, subtle sense of humor and “Paul Newman eyes” will be not only eternally missed but forever loved.
Surviving to carry on Wayne’s legacy are his wife of 61 years, Anna; his children Teresa (Matthew) and Richard (Annie); sister Edith; grandchildren Nicholas (Kylie), Jonathan, and Ava; his beloved “grandpuppy” Tucker as well as many other close relatives and friends.
You are cordially invited to celebrate Wayne’s life at a gathering of family and friends to be held at Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, 11382 Madison Pike, Independence, KY 41051 on Monday, July 24, 2023. Please come and share stories and memories from 12:00 PM until 1:45PM. Masonic funeral honors will begin at 1:45 PM, followed by a memorial service at 2:00 PM at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests you instead donate to St. Elizabeth Hospice in Wayne’s name by using this link.
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