Archie C. Ball

The mold was broken when Arch and Doris (Mahoney) Ball welcomed their second son and last of their seven children, Archie C. Ball, Jr. on October 1, 1944. Archie spent his childhood living on Rhea Creek, attended Heppner Elementary and Heppner High School, and graduated with the class of 1962. He served as student body president, participated as a track athlete, and earned the degree of automotive and autobody repair at Blue Mountain Community College.

Archie married Diana Fulleton on September 5, 1964, and they recently celebrated 58 years together. They raised their two children, Andrea, and Duane in Heppner.

More than anything else, Archie felt great satisfaction ensuring his family was well taken care of and he should have no regret that they certainly were. It was particularly important for him to create experiences that gave them life-long memories and he loved them more than could be expressed in words. He experienced the greatest joy providing unabashed support to his grandkids Jacob, Carter, Ali, Casey, and Cody throughout the many sports and activities they participated in.

Archie was employed by Pendleton Grain Growers, Padberg Machinery, Morrow County Grain Growers, and Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative. Whether occupation or hobby, he took extraordinary pride in his work, strived for his own perfection, and was captivated by life-long learning.

He was proud to call Heppner his hometown, appreciated the quality of life he lived and took advantage of the short drive to the mountains where he loved to spend time for any reason. While he valued living in a small town, he also had special interest in experiencing new places with his family and cherished long-time friends creating many years of memories traveling and celebrating with them. Archie was known for his uncanny ability to solve mechanical problems, could repair nearly anything and most insistently constructed or made repairs with re-built parts. His creativity inspired “upcycling” before it became hip for taking crummy old materials and giving them a new purpose!

Archie was a man who was happy to quietly contribute to the community he lived in and inclined to provide help to someone in need. He was immensely proud, as was his dad, to be a member of the Heppner Masonic Lodge #69 and the Tri-County Al Kader Shriners. He was a 50+year member of B.P.O.E. #358, served as a charter member of Morrow County Emergency Medical Technicians and Ambulance Drivers and Morrow County Search and Rescue. He was a volunteer firefighter during his young adult years and served as a member of the Heppner Masonic Cemetery, Water Control District, Heppner Rural Fire and Morrow County Museum and Farm Foundation Boards. Archie died September 23, 2022.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Archie Ball, Sr., Doris Ball, brother Bobby, and sisters Laurel VanMarter, Harriet Hall, Eileen Steiger, and Beth Hughes. He is survived by his wife, Diana, children Andrea Fletcher (Andy) and Duane Ball (Stephanie), grandkids Jacob, Carter, Ali, Casey and Cody, and sister Nancy Ekstrom.

A celebration of his life was held at 11 a.m. October 14, 2022, at the Heppner Elks Lodge. If you would like to share a contribution in Archie’s memory, please consider his wish to support the Shriner’s Hospital for Children, 3101 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97201 or Pioneer Memorial Hospice, PO Box 9, Heppner, OR 97836.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Archie C. Ball, please visit our floral store.