Rebecca Annelle Ball

Becky Ball

A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and active community member, Rebecca Annelle Ball died peacefully at the age of 92 on July 20, 2025, at her home in Oak Ridge, surrounded by her family.

Becky came to Oak Ridge in 1957 from North Carolina to teach public school music. She quickly became active in the community, singing in the Oak Ridge Chorus and teaching piano at the Oak Ridge School of Music. During Chorus rehearsals, she met Syd Ball—a New Jersey transplant working at ORNL—who shared her love for classical and choral music. Syd’s courtship led to their marriage in 1958 and the birth of two children, Lisa and Greg. Their partnership sustained a fun and thriving marriage that lasted 67 years, until her passing.

Becky was well-known in the community for teaching private piano lessons and, beginning in the 1970s, for writing arts reviews for The Oak Ridger, covering movies, chorus and orchestra concerts, and Playhouse theater productions. She also took great joy in writing program notes for ORCMA’s Chamber Music concerts for many years.

Family and community were deeply important to both Becky and Syd. Together, they were active in ORCMA and other arts programs, charity organizations, and the League of Women Voters. From early on, they were woven into the fabric of Oak Ridge’s vibrant cultural scene—a legacy that continues today.

At Grace Lutheran Church, Becky began her music ministry by organizing a youth choir—initially with high school students and later expanding to include children as young as fourth grade. Her choir performed in local Youth Alijah concerts and even appeared at a Lutheran Synod assembly in Huntsville, Alabama, where they received a standing ovation. Several gifted members of that choir, along with some of her piano students, went on to become professional musicians.

Becky later served as organist at Grace, where her role grew far beyond accompanying choirs and congregational singing. She planned innovative worship services and recruited countless musicians to contribute to special music programs. Her inspiration often came from noted composer Hal Hopson and the contemplative music of the Taizé Community in France. She served in this role for 28 years, retiring in 2005.

Becky’s zest for creativity extended to her home, where she frequently welcomed friends and out-of-town guests. Music was woven into daily life—whether through piano lessons, her own playing, or impromptu gatherings with fellow musicians. Her daughter Lisa developed a love for cooking by helping her mother with dinner parties and everyday meals, which were always fresh and inventive. Christmas traditions included hosting every other year with Jim, Jackie, Michaela (Miller), and Jason Ball—an arrangement that raised the bar, with dishes becoming increasingly gourmet over time. She saw Becky as a perfect role model: she didn’t take herself too seriously, found humor in any situation, and rarely dwelled on problems. Lisa’s husband, John, affectionately called Becky “Peaches” and got a kick out of grocery shopping for her—there was invariably something on the list he’d never heard of.

Her son Greg loved growing up in a home filled with music, where he learned from Becky the joy that comes from hard work and dedication as a musician. He also learned that she was usually right about everything. Her daughter-in-law, Drea, was fortunate enough to have a remarkable mother-in-law. For her, Becky’s effortless poise, impeccable grace, and exceptional class set an example to live by. Becky’s thoughtful and generous gift-giving will undoubtedly endure, while her unique sense of humor and heartfelt conversations about various topics will be profoundly missed.

In June 2022, the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge celebrated its 75th anniversary by presenting 75 Paul Harris Fellow awards to “community-oriented and selfless individuals who had dedicated their time to making Oak Ridge a better place to live, work, and play.” Becky was honored as one of the recipients. Over the years, countless individual instrumentalists, singers, and piano students—have spoken of her encouragement, support, originality, and infectious enthusiasm, as well as her remarkable ability to share her love of music with everyone she touched.

Becky was born in 1933 in Monroe, North Carolina, to Mary and Wade Austin. She grew up on a family farm alongside her three sisters and brother. She earned the title of “Most Athletic” during her senior year at Union County High School, thanks in part to her basketball skills. She went on to attend Appalachian State Teachers College (now Appalachian State University) in Boone, North Carolina, where she earned a master’s degree in music in 1957.

Becky was pre-deceased by her parents, her sisters Martha and Sybil, brother Joe, brothers-in-law Ken Steele and Will Ball, and sisters-in-law Myra Austin, Helene Ball, and Nancy Ball. She is survived by her loving husband Syd, daughter Lisa (John) Dilts, son Greg (Drea) Ball, grandsons Jacob Ball and Jesse Ball, sister Ferry Lane and her husband Richard Lowder, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at Grace Lutheran Church, 131 W. Gettysburg Avenue, Oak Ridge. The family will begin receiving guests at 10:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Becky Ball Music Scholarship Fund at Grace Lutheran Church, or to the ORCMA Youth Education Programs, which support a wide range of initiatives aimed at inspiring and educating the next generation of musicians. https://orcma.vbotickets.com/donations/8522).