Darlene “Memaw” Ball, 79, of Kimball was called home on November 26. On July 27, 1945, she was born to the late Charles Edgar Ellis and Mable Ross Ellis. In the words of her granddaughter Celeste: Memaw was so loved by many friends and family. She was the life of the party, and hosted many a luau where she would have karaoke out by the pool. She loved fashion, anyone who saw her could tell. From her earrings to her glamourous purses, she would accessorize from head to toe. All her outfits matched to a T, and she had a purse for each outfit. She loved to go on shopping sprees up to Pigeon Forge, and out and about in Chattanooga (or wherever they decided to go at the time). She was constantly on the go with her daughter Crystal, and her best friend Darla as well as many other accomplices to her sprees. She was always quick to crake a joke; she loved making people laugh and prided herself on her humor. She also was an accomplished artist who worked at Olan Mills for years when she was young, and loved working with airbrush, which she always told me I would love if I ever picked it up myself. Also, she was a very creative storyteller, and when I was a child, she would make up the elaborate stories we would talk about for hours as we watched the birds outside our window. We had put feeders up so we could get a good view. She taught me how to garden and wanted me to wake up early to water the flowers, although I was never any good at it. She taught me so many things that I still look back on fondly, and I will cherish those memories with her always. Darlene loved her dog, Sweetie Pie.
Darlene is preceded in death by her parents and husband, William “Bill” Ball.
Left to cherish her memories are her daughter, Crystal Lewis; grandchildren, Brandon Stewart, Celeste Lewis, several other family members and special friends.
There was a graveside service on Friday, November 29 at Beene-Raulston Cemetery in South Pittsburg at Noon with Jayme Eggert officiating. Anyone planning to attend, please be at Tate Funeral Home at 11:30 a.m.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Tate Funeral Home, LLC, 950 Mel Dixon Lane, Jasper, Tennessee (423) 942-9500.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.tatefh.com.
The Marion Tribune – December 5, 2024
