June 14, 2023, 88, Mount Olive –
Jean Carolyn Sawyer Ball, 88, died suddenly on Wednesday morning, June 14 in Mount Olive, N.C. She is survived by her children; Jimmy Franklin Ball, Jr., and his wife Pamela of Palm Coast, Florida, John Thomas Ball, and his wife Pam of Mount Olive, Carolyn Ball Bolling, and her husband Kenneth of Mount Olive, Michael Wayne Ball, and his wife Brenda of Faison,, and Beverly Ball Wilson, and her husband Bradford, of Holly Springs; her grandchildren, Marlyn Dail and husband Ryan, John T. Ball, Jr., and his wife Marielle, Matthew Bolling, Thomas Ball, Eric Ball, Kathryn Wilson, Jensen Wilson, and Ella Wilson; three great-grandchildren, Bjorian Eaker, Django Ball, and Elijah Dail.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents; Kenneth Henry and Maggie Bundy Sawyer; her husband, Jimmy Franklin Ball, Sr., and her siblings, Elisha Harris, Raymond Harris, Margie Krebs, Milton Sawyer, and Claymon Sawyer.
A service to remember and celebrate Jean’s life will be held on Saturday, June 24 at 2 o’clock in the afternoon at the First United Methodist Church in Mount Olive. The family will receive friends at Tyndall Funeral Home, Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. and at other times at the Ball residence located on North Church Street, Mount Olive. A committal will follow the memorial service in the Maplewood Cemetery, Mount Olive beside her husband, Jimmy.
Jean was born and raised in Camden County, N.C. on September 30, 1934. Jean and her husband of 65 years, Jimmy, were married in 1951 and eventually settled in Mt. Olive in 1958 after Jimmy joined N.C. State Highway Patrol. They both were life-long members of the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Olive, where she served on many committees over the years and also sang with the church choir. Jean spent a long career as a much beloved Home Economics teacher at Rosewood High School, retiring in 1994. Her years at Rosewood brought her much pride and joy and she was the creator of the Miss Rosewood pageant. She enjoyed cooking and was known to be one of the best cooks around. She was also known as an expert seamstress and upholsterer. Being very creative, Jean could do almost anything with her hands. She also, along with her husband Jimmy, loved to work in the yard and garden and always grew and canned fruits and vegetables for her family and friends. They also collected and restored antiques. Jean spent many hours refinishing furniture to sell in their antique store in Mt. Olive. She was a member of several clubs, including the Red Hat Society, the Traveler’s Club of Mt. Olive, and a local bridge club with her friends. Jean’s doors were always open, never knew a stranger and loved everyone she met and vice versa. One of her most endearing qualities was that she wanted to know everything about you and surely would before you walked out the door. She never forgot anyone including her students from many years past. Her greatest joy in life was being the mother of her five children and grandchildren whom she adored.
The family would like to express their great appreciation for their mother’s caretakers and loyal companions, Jennifer and Mack Jones, and special friend and former daughter-in-law, Maritza Ball.
Flowers are welcome, or memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church of Mt. Olive.
