Mr. Earl Ray Ball, better known as "Ray" age 77, of West Jefferson passed away Saturday morning, October 10, 2015 at his home. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 at 3:00 pm at First Baptist Church of West Jefferson with Rev. Michael Lea and Rev. Ken Morris officiating. Burial will follow in the Scott-Blevins Cemetery with military rites. The family will receive friends from 1:00-3:00pm on Tuesday; two hours prior to the funeral service. Mr. Ball was born in Ashe County on Sunday, September 11, 1938 to the late Carl Winfield and Mamie Sheets Ball. He served in the United States Army. He retired from Blue Ridge Electric, where he worked as a Lineman. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of West Jefferson. He had many hobbies such as: bass fishing, punching punch boards, lottery and loafing. Ray was always smiling and glad to see his family and friends. He was a loving brother, father and grandfather; he will be missed by all. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Rhumell Ashby Ball; a brother, Charles Ball; two sisters, Ilene Howell and Elsie Featherstone. Mr. Ball is survived by two sons, Mark Ball and wife, Tammy, of West Jefferson and Nic Ball and wife, Jamie, of Warrensville; a daughter, Beth Ball, of Haw River, NC; two brothers, Kyle Ball and wife, Linda, of Jefferson and Joe Ball and wife, Betty, of West Jefferson; two grandchildren, Madi Ball of West Jefferson and Mack Kelleher of Haw River; seven step grandchildren, Stephen Copeland, Megan Copeland, Jordan Hawks and husband, Brett, Ian Norman, Rosalind Norman, Kylie Eller and Zachary Eller; four step great grandchildren, Brayden Hawks, Tristen Hawks, Aubree Hawks and Carter Hawks; a bus load of nieces and nephews also survive. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to: Scott-Blevins Cemetery, c/o Roger Church, 453 Edwin Blevins Road, Lansing, NC 28643 or June Phillips Memorial Fund, PO Box 180, West Jefferson, NC 28694.