Louis' Obituary
Oh No Fluffy! On November 14, 1948, the world got a little brighter, and on February 14, 2024, it got a little dimmer.
Louis Stephen Ball was born to John E. and Lois Margaret Ball. He was the third son and would be followed by five sisters. Side by side with his siblings he committed many offenses, fortunately the statute of limitations has expired, but the stories still bring laughter.
Louie was drafted into the Army in January of 1969. He served with Company B, 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry, 196th Infantry Brigade, United States Army, jumping out of a helicopter with 90 pounds of radio and gear strapped to his back. He was honorably discharged with a rank of SP5 after being injured twice, first in Tam Ky and later at LZ Professional. He came home with a National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Combat Infantryman’s Badge along with the two Purple Hearts, one less eye and a whole lot of shrapnel.
Louie met the woman he would love for the rest of his life in 1972 at the Village Inn in Ulm. He married Catherine Lohof on November 9, 1974, and affectionately nick-named her Cat. There were snowmobile trips, square dances, and road trips; four-wheeler rides and rod-runs; ocean cruises and planes to Laughlin. Their favorite haunt morphed over the years from the Ulm bar, to the Longhorn, to the Little Chicago, and finally to the BECC. In his last weeks he said, “smartest decision I ever made was marrying Cat.”
Louie trained and worked in the pump business, eventually starting Water Well Pump Service in 1978. He climbed down in a hole (some more spacious than others), set the pump, and climb back up. He wasn’t bothered by a little dirt, a few spiders, or the weather of the day. If the water quit working, he’d get it going, sometimes on the coldest or hottest day of the year. Louie’s kindness and generosity meant he didn’t always send a bill for everything he did and never for the hours he spent on the phone walking people through how to fix something.
If Louie wasn’t working, he was playing. There are too many friends to name individually, some around for a few years and others around for his lifetime. He loved spending time with each and every one so as you read this, know your name is on the list and get ready to share the stories.
Louie was the guy with a one-liner or witty comeback in every conversation. Louie was the guy who wouldn’t just ask what he could do, he DID what he could do. His trials and burdens were heavy but you’d never know it by the way he carried them. He enjoyed a good ribeye, a cold beer (or maybe an Old Grandad), and Nova on PBS. He loved to laugh, he loved to take pictures, and loved his wife with all his heart. If you knew Louie Ball, you were better for it.
Louie was preceded in death by his parents, John and Lois Ball; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, John and Martha Lohof; sister, Frances; and his dog, Sage (who was much more than a dog). He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Cathy Ball; daughter, Carmen; granddaughter, Elayne; brothers, Frank and John (Carolyn); sisters, Mardie (Scott), Marian, Kathleen, Pauline (Bob) and Lois (Pete); brother-in-law, Dick (June); 16 nieces and nephews; and a host of great-nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Benefis Peace Hospice or the Wounded Warrior Project.
Bring your stories and bring your memories to join the family for a celebration of life at 3:00 p.m. on April 27, 2024, at the Eagles Lodge in Great Falls.
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