Gregory Ball died on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022. He was born in California to Edwin and Mary Ball on June 20, 1935.
He grew up in Walnut Grove, Stockton, and Santa Rosa. He loved camping, fishing with his dad, playing baseball, competitive tennis, and spending many summers in Alberta, Canada, where his grandparents had a farm.
He graduated from Santa Rosa High School with many lifelong friends and shared wonderful stories of their high school “high jinks.” He continued his studies at Santa Rosa Community College, where he won a tennis doubles league championship.
His love for tennis was lifelong, leaving many wondering how they just got beat by an old guy with a vintage Wilson wood racket and knee-high tube socks.
He then transferred to Stanford University to study history and psychology and became a devoted Stanford Indians fan, closely following basketball, tennis, and especially football. A longtime and highly enthusiastic football season ticket holder, he savored taunting opposing fans with pearls such as: “Your coach drinks his own bath water!” and was most pleased by the recent strength of the Stanford football program.
After graduating from Stanford in 1957, he served in the U.S. Army Transportation Corps for five years and was activated for the Cuban Missile Crisis.
He had an amazing, near-photographic memory, which served him well throughout his long and successful career as a title insurance officer, underwriter, and title company general manager in Sacramento and San Francisco. His sharp wit and mischievous sense of humor enabled him to form many friendships with his co-workers, who viewed him as a business leader and a true expert in his field.
Above all, he was a dedicated and patient father who was always present sharing time, stories, and his caring love. His gentle and loving spirit was felt by all, especially his daughters, whom he always loved and supported as they pursued their dreams in ballet, musicals, culinary arts, and plays.
He always set the example of a true gentleman by opening their car door and pulling out their chair in a restaurant. He was also a dedicated grandfather four times over and never missed his grandchildren’s plays, musicals, ballet performances, or football games.
He bragged about his family to anyone who would listen.
Young at heart, he made many friends even into his old age, as he loved making people laugh, sharing his wisdom and showed true compassion towards all. Everyone loved his antics such as calling himself “Refugio Bandersnatch” at the barista counter and teaching his young Ukrainian and Russian friends antiquated expressions such as the “the best thing since sliced bread” and “colder than a well digger’s shovel.”
He had a special fondness for Russian chocolates and was always well-supplied by his caring friends.
He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends, as he was a true original with a great mind, dry sense of humor, vast understanding of history, and fantastic knowledge of sports trivia. He was a man who could eat an entire cake in one night and not gain a pound, and someone who refused to own a pair of jeans on principle.
At the ripe age of 86, he was baptized and left his agnostic views behind. “Rest in peace, sweet Gregory,” say his loved ones.
He is survived by his daughters Julia Ball-Dugan and Lisa Ball; son-in-law John Dugan; dear friend Dale Apodaca; and grandchildren Elaine, Jacob, Jacqueline, and Joya. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Edwin “Bill” and Mary “Kay” Ball; and his brother, Robert Ball.
All are invited to Greg’s memorial service at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, at F.D. Sweet and Son Funeral Home in Willows. In lieu of flowers, Greg wished to honor his home caregivers of three-and-a-half years with memorial donations.
The Glenn County Observer 