Dannie Ball 14 Jan 28--16 Feb 10

[JimRice]

Dannie was a close personal friend of mine and a tremendous asset for me as both a Hobby Shop owner and the District VP. His extensive experience in modeling made him a great engine man, good radio repairer and aircraft designer and builder.

He served for 3 years as a District VIII Associate Vice President back in the 80's when John Clemens was the District VP. He was a CD, lifetime member of Dallas RC Club and friend/helper to anyone who liked model airplanes. I have never met anyone who did not like him! He was a modeler's modeler and would share his skills, airplanes and stories with anyone.

He became a 2nd Dad to me when my Dad died. I don't think there is anything I could have asked him to do that he would not have tried to do. He ran the store so Linda and I could go to Germany. He repaired one of my Dad's old engine using his lathe since parts were no longer available so the engine could still run. He pulled my suburban out of the mud at the flying field one time when I went where I shouldn't have. He fixed radios for me and for many other modelers in the area. He kept the weeds and trash around the hobby shop cleanded up. He and I talked about single channel RC and early flying so much that I felt like I had flown with him for over 50 years yet I only knew him for about 12 years.

He was a quiet and unassuming guy with a stubborn streak that made him even more likeable. I know his last month or so was rough and I am glad his troubles are over but I miss him a lot.

The obit from the San Antonio paper is shown in its entirety below.

Please keep his friends and family in your thoughts and prayers. He is leaving a big hole in a lot of hearts!

JR


Master Sergeant (USAF, Retired) Dannie E. Ball, having fought the good fight and having kept the faith, finished his earthly course on 16 February 2010 and reported to his final duty station in Heaven. He was born in Lockland, Hamilton County, Ohio on 14 January 1928 and was the only child of James Elisha and Della Denham (Estep) Ball. On 7 September 1945, he and the love of his life Delores (Dee) Broughton crossed the Ohio River to be married in Newport, Campbell County, Kentucky. They were married for more than sixty four years until his death. Besides his widow Delores, he leaves behind a son, Colonel (USAF, Retired) Gerald Dannie Ball, who resides in San Antonio with his wife Calla Jane (Gibson) Ball, and a daughter, Janet Elaine Valadez of Cibolo, widow of the late Jacob Cisneros Valadez. Other couples Dee and Dannie considered to be like their own children are Betty & David Sippel of Cibolo and Sandy & David Patrick of Seagoville. Dannie’s love of God was reflected in his love of God’s people. Besides his own children, eight grandchildren, five great grandchildren, numerous cousins, and others connected to him directly, he leaves many others who felt his love and support in times of need and of hope. Truly, he was a blessing to, and was blessed by, a remarkably extended family.
Dannie served over twenty one years in the military, enlisting in the Army Air Forces when he turned 18 in 1946 and moving to the United States Air Force when it became a separate service in 1947. His Air Force career as an air traffic controller took him to duty stations in Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, England, Texas, Mississippi, Korea, Louisiana, Virginia, and Spain. After retiring from the Air Force in 1967 at Randolph Air Force Base, he began dramatically varied subsequent careers. First, he worked in the electronic security systems business in Waco. Then he was in wholesale agricultural sales in Dallas for almost thirty years. Dannie and Dee returned to the San Antonio area in 2000 where they became members of First Baptist Church of Universal City. Everywhere he went, he actively served the Lord in a local congregation. He taught Sunday School, was a Sunday School superintendent, served as a deacon, and filled in wherever the people of his church needed his skills and willingness to serve. He was also passionate about his avocation of flying model airplanes. He began with free-flight planes, then moved to U-control flying, and finally to radio controlled models for the last forty five years of his life. He met many lasting friends through model airplane flying. His 31 consecutive year string of flying radio controlled models every New Years Day ended this year when he was hospitalized.
Funeral arrangements are under the supervision of Colonial Funeral Home, 625 Kitty Hawk Road, Universal City, Texas. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Wednesday evening, 17 February, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The funeral will be held at First Baptist Church of Universal City at 12:30 on 18 February followed by burial with full military honors at Fort Sam Houston at 2:00 p.m.

Dannie in his standard pose smiling at the field