Carrol Owen Ball

Carrol Owen Ball Carrol Owen Ball passed away peacefully on Friday, April 23, 2021, at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center after more than 13 years of dementia and other illnesses. She was born on November 22, 1932, in Roswell, NM, to Francis William Owen and Eula Mae Ehrgood “Biddie” Owen. She was 88 years old at the time of her death. Carrol was born into Lincoln County ranching families that came by wagon in the 1870s from Missouri to White Oaks, Capitan Gap, and Lincoln, NM. Her Great Grandfather was Sherriff John William Owen, and her Grandfather was Omer Francis Owen, a Deputy Sherriff under his father near the turn of the century. Both family sides of her ancestry also owned ranches on the north side of the Capitan Mountain near Capitan Gap, Give a Damn Canyon, Arroyo Seco, and Roberts Springs. Her parents continued the ranching legacy in Lincoln County, NM, along the north side of the Capitan Mountain on the Hasparos Canyon. Their ranch was an offsetting ranch to the UFO debris site not far from Corona. She attended Roswell Schools and college at the University of Colorado at Boulder and later obtained her Bachelor’s Degree of Science from Eastern New Mexico University (Magna cum Laude). She married into another Lincoln County and Chaves County ranching family when she married W. J. “Bill” Ball on July 4, 1953, in Ruidoso, NM. In the late 1950s, they purchased the White Flat Ranch east of the Capitan Mountain located in both Lincoln and Chaves Counties 35 miles Northwest of Roswell. They owned and operated the ranch until Bill’s death a few days before the millennium, whereas she continued owning the ranch until she sold it in 2002. She was also the owner of Capitan Mountain Oil and Gas, LLC. After college, she taught school at Roswell High School, Sierra Middle School, and even taught school in the Hondo Valley. She loved to travel, learn about history, and was well known to take school-aged kids each summer on trips to Europe and other countries. After teaching, she continued to travel to Europe frequently with close friends. Besides travel, she loved her bridge club friends, and she also loved art and creating oil landscapes in New Mexico. A very social person, Carrol enjoyed her memberships with the Roswell Service League, Morning Garden Club, New Mexico Cowbells, New Mexico Wool Growers Auxiliary, Belles and Beaux Danse Club (which she and Bill helped co-found with other local friends). She was the last surviving charter member of the Roswell Desk and Derrick Club. Before dementia, Carrol was an active member of The First Baptist Church and various bible study groups around Roswell. Carrol was preceded by her parents, Francis William Owen and Eula Mae Ehrgood “Biddie” Owen; husband, W. J. “Bill” Ball. Those left to cherish Carrol’s memory are her daughter, Betty Lee Ball A/K/A Elizabeth Lee Roth of Puerto Aventuras, Quintana Roo, Mexico; son, William James “Jim” Ball, Jr. of Roswell, NM; grandson, Colton Roth of Edmond, OK; twin granddaughters: Halie Ball de Omena (Thiago de Omena) of Oklahoma City, OK and Marlie Echa’varri Ball (Carlos Echa’varri) of Rogers, Arkansas; great-grandson, Griffin James de Omena of Oklahoma City, OK; great-granddaughter, Kate Echa’varri of Rogers, Arkansas; sister, Jacqueline Coffman of Roswell, NM; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. A celebration of Carrol’s life is planned at a later date once the Covid 19 risk subsides further. Advance notice will be given once the arrangements are made. Her cremation will be handled by her relatives’ funeral home Anderson-Bethany Funeral Home of Roswell. In Lieu of flowers, if anyone wants to contribute, the family requests them to be at The First Baptist Church of Roswell or any Roswell-based museums that she enjoyed very much or a charity of their choice. Please take a moment and share a kind thought or memory with Carrol’s family at www.andersonbethany.com. Carrol’s tribute was written in her honor by her family.

Carrol Owen Ball

November 22, 1932 - April 23, 2021