I was born September 27, 1928 in Spur, Texas to Willie and Ollie Ball. Papa and mama farmed, working side by side. Pallets under the wagon for children, lunch in a dishpan in the field, and me breaking hoe handles to avoid chopping cotton! Ill health forced Papa's retirement in 1972.
My schooling started age age five. Kindergarden at Dry Lake with Mrs. Engleman, my first teacher, then to Espuela School. My family moved nearer Spur where I attended elementary, junior high, and high school. I was active in sports and was chosen to be cheerleader all four years of high school.
After graduation, Class of 1945, I got a job at Milam's Variety Store. An opening at Spur Security Bank caught my eye, and I worked there a while, then left to try my luck in Redlands, California with my sister, Marie Messer. She introduced me to a friend, Jim Neal. He had moved to California from Arkansas. We dated, but I became homesick, returned to Spur, got a job at City Drug, then Wilson's Laundry.
One weekend, I borrowed Papa's car to buy a newspaper at City Durg. As I parked, by some freakish accident, the car jumped the curb and ran smak into the drug store between two glass doors. Fortunately no was injured. Someone got the car off the sidewalk and I returned home. I couldn't face the front of the Drug Store; instead, I'd walk down the alley to the laundry.
Later after surgery I quit the laundry. Lynn Buzbee offered me a job as bookkeeper at Red Front Drug Store when he was managing the store for "Deacon" Hull. There Jim Neal came back into my life. We were married on November 6, 1948 by Brother H.L. Burnham. We headed for California where Jim went to work at Norton Air Base. I packed oranges until our first daughter, Paula was born. We had a second daughter Patricia, and then a son Phillip.
In 1966, Jim transferred to Tinker Air Base, Oklahoma. We settled in Norsman and enrolled the girls in school. Four years later, Jim transferred to Altus. We bought a farm near Navajo Community where Phillip attended school until Jim's retirement in 1974.
Upon retirement, we bought land from Jim's grandparents near Waldron, Arkansas. We cut timber and built our home. Phillip graduated from Waldron High School. He now serves the United States Air Force in Oklahoma City with wife, Susan Brown and two daughters, Shelly and Jenny.
Paula lives in Norman with her husband, Terry Wilson and two sons, Neal and William. Terry works for Safeway.
Patty's husband, Mike Cadenhead is also a member of the Air Force. They live in Calloway, Florida with daughter, Kristi and son, Brian.
Our favorite hobby is visiting our children and spoiling the grandchildren!
I look forward to annual class reunions, sharing happy memories with family, my parents, Willie and Ollie Ball, Marie from California, Roy from Missouri, Lester, Wilburn and Donnie from Spur. So goes "THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ALINE BALL".
Source: Dickens County History...its Land and People © Dickens Historical Commission; Printer: Craftsman Inc. Lubbock, Texas 1986
Services for Aline Neal, 69, of Spur were Tuesday, at the Hwy 70 Church of Christ in Spur. Charles Ball officiated. Burial was in the Spur Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Campbell Funeral Home.
Mrs. Neal died Saturday, December 20, 1997 in St. Mary Hospital, Lubbock.
Mrs. Neal was born September 27, 1928 in Spur. She graduated from Spur High School in 1945. She married James L. Neal November 6, 1948 in Spur. She was a homemaker and a member of the Church of Christ. She had returned to Spur in 1988 moving from Arkansas. She was a member of her high school reunion committee.
Survivors include her husband, James L. Neal, Spur; one son, Phillip Lee Neal, Lakenheath, England; two daughters, Paula Wilson, Norman, Oklahoma; and Patricia Cadenhead, Heath, Ohio; four brothers, Lester Ball, Spur; Wilburn Ball, Spur; Roy Lee Ball, California, Missouri; and Donal Ray Ball, Spur, eight grandchildren and one great, great grandchild.
©The Texas Spur, Thursday, December 25, 1997,Page 10
© Dickens County Historical Commission 1997-2022
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