Diane Ball

Linda Diane Cooper Ball USA 1941-2023. Born at Memphis, TN, her family moved to San Francisco, CA, when she was young. In 1959 she eloped and married a Navy man, Herbert Jay Ball, serving on the USS Midway. They had five children: Nan, Jay, Sean, Michael, and Jason. Diane had a love for music and dancing, and she would write songs just to perform them. As a teen she sang on a TV variety show and performed in a number of school and community productions. She loved attending the San Francisco opera, where she could watch her father perform. She wrote music for several stage musicals, including: ‘It Happened One Christmas’, and ‘St Francis of Assisi’. In 1973 Jay and Diane moved to a Christian conference center in northern CA called Springs of Living Water. They both worked for the center. Diane was a camp director there. She started ‘Kids Kamp’ and ‘Teen Kamp’ programs that are still operating. They impacted thousands of young people for Christ. Her vision: That people know Jesus and make Him known. She founded and directed a traveling teen musical group at the camp called “Children of Promise’ (COP). She wrote her famous song while working at the camp. Running late one day for a speaking engagement, she penned ‘In His Time’ while riding to her destination, knowing she would be late. The meeting, however, got a very late start, so it worked out. After COP was disbanded, the family formed a band called ‘New Rain’ that toured for several years, directed by Diane. In 1986 the Balls moved to Kauai, Hawaii, where they founded and ran a shelter for the homeless (partnering with the 700 Club). There, she also served as the youth pastor of the Koloa Church. In 1995 they relocated to the Seattle, WA, area, where Diane served as Development Director at Community Health Center of Snohomish County. She was very good at fundraising because she was passionate about whatever the funding was to achieve. In 2013 the Balls moved back to northern CA, then in 2020, moved to Alma, TX, so they could be near grandchildren. She passed away at Alma, TX. Services were held at the Cowboy Church of Ennis, TX. She had 18 grandchildren and four great-grand children.

John Perry