Mr. Rufus Hurley Ball, age 98, of Council, Virginia passed away Tuesday (April 3, 2018) in a Lebanon, Virginia nursing facility. Born March 24, 1920 in Buchanan County, Virginia, he was a son of the late Jefferson Thomas and Louisa Jane Davis Ball. He had resided in Buchanan County, Virginia most of his life and was of the Old Regular Baptist faith. He was a man with many talents, but the one he enjoyed most wood carving, which he began at the age of six years old. He handmade several musical instruments and many other beautiful wood pieces. He was also formerly employed at Bassett Furniture Factory and prior to that he had worked in the coal mines. He was a proud member of the National Rifle Association.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Malvia Elizabeth Murdock Ball; four children, Columbus Allen Ball, James Ball, Christina Ball and Lee Roy Murdock; three brothers, Jay Ball, Howard Ball and Zed Ball; three sisters, Dolly Campbell, Ruby Hamilton and Gay Puckett; son-in-law, James David Ball and sister-in-law/special friend, Elenora Ball.
Survivors include two children, Mary Ann Ball of Honaker, Virginia and Gary Hurley Ball of Lebanon, Virginia; three grandchildren, Gerald Ball and wife, Joanie of Swords Creek, Virginia, Ashley Hale and husband, Kevin Clark of Honaker, Virginia and Mary Beth Hale of Columbia, South Carolina; six great-grandchildren, Felicity Anderson, Logan Anderson, Justin Ball, Blair Clark, Tabitha Clark and Milez Clark; one sister, Ellen Fay Tiller of Council, Virginia and several special nieces and nephews also survive.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 AM Thursday in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Andy Presley officiating. Interment will follow in the Frank Smith Cemetery at Big A Mountain, Virginia.
Pallbearers will be Gerald Ball, Kevin Clark, Lee Hess, Tim Shepard, Gary Tiller and Allen Puckett.
Honorary pallbearers will be Gary Ball, Justin Ball, Logan Anderson, Blair Clark and Milez Clark.
The family will receive friends at the Honaker Funeral Home after 6 PM Wednesday.