Stephen Lynn Ball

Our caring, witty, and thoughtful husband, dad, grandpa, brother, and uncle, Stephen Lynn Ball, 72, passed away surrounded by his family on November 21, 2021 in Idaho Falls, ID.

Stephen was born in 1949 in Rigby, ID. He grew up in nearby Lewisville working on the family farm and running sheep, excelling in academics, playing football and trumpet, riding motorcycles, learning to fly planes, and teasing his little sister. He was the best brother a younger sister could ever have. He attended elementary school in Lewisville and graduated from Rigby High School. He graduated from BYU with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and later obtained a Juris Doctor degree in law from J. Reuben Clark Law School.

While attending BYU, he met the love of his life, Derra Woods. They dated for two years and married in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1974. Together they welcomed four children into their home. Stephen loved being a Dad, learning, photography, woodworking, motorcycles, airplanes, and experiencing the world. Most of all, he enjoyed being with his family and sharing his interests with them.

Stephen and Derra’s home was filled with mountains of books, competitive chess matches, and late night homework sessions that guided all his children to university degrees. The most important education came from the love learned and shared during family trips. The Ball family frequently spent summer weekends at String Lake. Large sacrifices were made to visit Glacier National Park, the Butchart Gardens, the Beartooth Highway, and even Southern California and Disneyland. Motorcycle trips provided family history lessons about the places dad grew up working with the sheep with his own father.

As a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ, he enjoyed serving in a variety of callings. He eagerly served a two and a half-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Northern Far East Mission. He loved the people and the culture of Japan and enjoyed sharing his experiences with his family.

Stephen enjoyed his association with other members of his faith, shared his testimony through his example, and sought opportunities to serve others. He loved studying church history and visiting the locations of the early Church. He taught his children and grandchildren the Gospel of Christ by living its principles and shared stories of what he learned and those he met while touring Church history sites.

Stephen and Derra spent time wandering the hills to see spring flowers and winding mountain roads to see the autumn colors. They traveled to exotic locations in the Pacific and shared spiritual moments together at sacred church history sites. They enjoyed institute classes together. Their dedication to one another is never ending, their love eternal; they are separated for a moment, but bound together forever by covenant.

He will be remembered for using his life to build memories for his family.

He will be missed by the family he loved and cared for including: his lovely wife and eternal companion, Derra, sister, Barbara Ann (Dee) Raymond, of Lewisville; brothers: Leland Wade (Dorothy) Ball of Lewisville and Richard Dale (Myrna) Ball of Menan; his four children: sons Justin (Callie) Ball of Providence, Utah and Austin (Katie) Ball of River Heights, Utah; and daughters, Deandra (James) Harps of Logan, Utah and Andelyn (Spencer) Pack of Logan, Utah and twelve very adored and beloved grandchildren: Hugh Harps, Aubrey Ball, Alyssa Ball, Owen Harps, Avery Ball, Jenna Ball, Lillian Harps, Everett Ball, Devin Ball, Beckett Ball, Aurora Harps, and Brennan Ball.

He was welcomed home by those who preceded him in death: his father, Leland Walker Ball; mother, Elva Pearl Jackson Ball; and older brother (and fellow football fan), David Joseph Ball.

On his behalf, we express gratitude to all those who aided with his care.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. November 26, 2021 at Roberts 1st Ward L.D.S. Chapel with Bishop Tanner officiating.

The family will visit with friends on Friday morning prior to the service from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Interment will be at the Lewisville Cemetery.

Services will be broadcast via Zoom:

https://usu-edu.zoom.us/j/ 87897695805?pwd= Tlh5dDRLbFMwcFYxRVBvTjV2R0haQT 09

We love you Dad. We love you Grandpa.