James Turner Ball

James Turner Ball obituary
James Turner Ball, 57 of Salem died unexpectedly at Legacy Emanuel Hospital, Portland on February 7, 2019 at 4:45pm.
Jim was born in Bryson City, North Carolina on November 27, 1961 the 13th child to Turner Dolphus Ball and Laura Jane (Hannah) Ball
Jim grew up in Grundy, Virginia at Mountain Mission School. He graduated from High School in 1980 and went on to Johnson Bible College where he received a Bachelor’s in Communications then went back and taught for a while at Mountain Mission.
Jim worked as a Technical Support Services/ Global Security Operations Manager at HP Inc where he supported HPI’s Sites in the US, Canada & Latin America.
Jim and his wife Rachelle have been together for 18 years and have a 16-year-old daughter named Menolly and Jim’s son Caleb is 20 years old from his first marriage.
To know Jim, was to know a wonderful man who’s Family, Work and Faith meant more to him than anything else in the world.
Every person who came into his life was genuinely touched by knowing him. He was a funny, sweet, hardworking, wonderful soul who always was there for people.
Preceding him in Death are his Father Turner Dolphus Ball, his Mother Laura Jane (Hannah) Ball, his Brother Harold, Brother Cass, Brother Kenneth, Sister Helen and Brother Dewey.
Jim is survived by his immediate family Rachelle of Salem, his daughter Menolly of Salem & son Caleb of Adair Village.
Funeral Services will be held Monday, February 25, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church: 1350 Court St NE, Salem, OR 97301
Please free to Share any memories and condolences on the Farnstrom Mortuary Website: www.FarnstromMortuary.com

Tribute from James' wife, Rachelle
When I think about my life with Jim one word comes to mind- Perfect. He was my Soul Mate, Other Half, and Best Friend, The one who kept me centered and the wonderful father to our children. Our life together was a dream come true. We had the kind of relationship that was destined in the stars and felt like a fairy tale.
Our 18 year journey in life together started one day when Jim walked into my life and saw me filling out my time card at work and Said: “Oh I see you can read” to which I replied “Yeah I can also write and do arithmetic” to which he said “Oooh that’s so amazing.” I walked away with a boom in my chest that told me “this was my person”. He went back to his office and asked his co-workers who the blonde with the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen was? We were both hooked and knew from that moment this day had brought us our perfect mate. The next day he came in to my workplace again and officially introduced himself and we were inseparable ever since. This was the day our lives began and we were no longer just drifting through…13 Months later our daughter was born which solidified our bond even more and with Jim’s son already being 3 years old we felt that we had our two kids and our family unit was complete.
We had one of those relationships where we brought out the best in each other and helped each other grow and become one wonderful person. Where I stopped he began and where he stopped I began. We were a circle that kept going infinitely. We could be happy just hanging out with each other around the house enjoying each other’s company or going and actually doing something.
We were a complete couple that shared each other’s dreams, successes and failures and held each other up through the good times and bad that life can throw at you. We had so many dreams together. Our kids currently being 16 and 20 were almost grown and we were looking ahead to the next chapters of our life. From waiting to see what kind of mates our children would choose to grandkids and growing old together.
He was my perfect mate, the most beautiful man in the universe and my everything so when he unexpectedly passed on Thursday the 7th of February following a family vacation; I couldn’t believe I was losing him as it didn’t seem like it was something that could ever happen and I couldn’t ever fathom. It seems like a nightmare I’m still waiting to wake up from. I still can’t understand how God could have taken him from me. Does he not know how much I need him? I feel soulless and like I will never be okay ever again and I don’t want to be as without him there’s no me. The only way I know that I’m still alive is because I’m in such immense pain.  I would have never been okay with losing him but my question to God is why now? Why so soon? How am I supposed to go on without my life mate and how are the kids supposed to feel normal without their Dad?
Jim and I always had a joke that if one of us passed before the other we had to haunt the other one. He better keep up his end of the bargain because I really need him.

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