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Ronald Eugene Ball

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Ronald Eugene Ball

Birth	:	20 Jan 1930 Defiance, Defiance County, Ohio, USA
Death	:	1 Feb 1941 Defiance, Defiance County, Ohio, USA
Burial	:	Mount Calvary Cemetery, Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate	:	39.0532990, -95.7360992
Description	:	TRIO IN FIRST RIVER TRAGEDY HERE SINCE 1938 Ice Kept Breaking Under Ronnie, Snyder Boy Says in Describing How Chum Drowned "Ronnie was on his hands and knees crawlin' towards me to pull me out. I could almost touch his hand. Then he went through. "When he came up, he tried to crawl out on top of the ice. It kept breaking away. Pretty soon I didn't see him any more." Thus did Richard Snyder, 13-year old son of Mr. and Mr.s Martin Snyder, 902 Washington avenue, tell how Ronald Ball, 11-year old son of Mrs. Bessie Ball, 951 Jefferson avenue, lost his... Read More	TRIO IN FIRST RIVER TRAGEDY HERE SINCE 1938 Ice Kept Breaking Under Ronnie, Snyder Boy Says in Describing How Chum Drowned "Ronnie was on his hands and knees crawlin' towards me to pull me out. I could almost touch his hand. Then he went through. "When he came up, he tried to crawl out on top of the ice. It kept breaking away. Pretty soon I didn't see him any more." Thus did Richard Snyder, 13-year old son of Mr. and Mr.s Martin Snyder, 902 Washington avenue, tell how Ronald Ball, 11-year old son of Mrs. Bessie Ball, 951 Jefferson avenue, lost his life Saturday trying to save his chum, Richard, from the icy waters of the Auglaize river. HOOKED ARMS OVER ICE "We started over to the island," Richard said, while lying on a cot at Defiance hospital. "Ronnie was ahead. I was next and Bob (Robert Marshall, 13, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Marshall, 1014 Wayne avenue) was close to shore when I fell through. When I came up, I hooked my arms over the ice and hung on. "Ronnie saw what happened. So did Bob. He went for help. Ronnie got down on his hands and knees and was crawlin' towards me to pull me out. I could almost touch his hand. Then he broke through. "I guess Ronnie got scared. He tried to crawl out on top of the ice. It kept breakin' away. I hollered a couple of times tellin' him to stop. I said 'Just hold on Ronnie, Bob'll bring help' but I guess he couldn't hear me. Pretty soon I didn't see Ronnie anymore. WATER 'AWFUL COLD' "I kicked my galoshes off cause they were heavy. A man came down with a rope. He couldn't reach me. Then the fire department came. I can't remember much else. The water was awful cold at first but after a while my legs didn't hurt anymore. Just my fingers." RONALD BALL, 11, DROWNS TRYING TO RESCUE CHUM Fireman Save Richard Snyder Who Clings To Ice Half an Hour Marshall Boy Runs for Aid; Funeral Will Be Held Tuesday An attempt to rescue a playmate who had broken through thin ice on the Auglaize river cost the life Saturday afternoon of Ronald Ball, 11-year old son of Mrs. Bessie Ball, 951 Jefferson avenue. Richard Snyder, 13, son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Snyder, 902 Washington avenue, broke through the ice and Ronald was attempting to reach him when he plunged into the icy water. Snyder clung to the ice at the edge of the hole until he was rescued by Fire Chief Harvey Hughes a half hour later. The Ball youth drowned after attempting to crawl back on the ice. Funeral will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. from Smith Brothers funeral home in charge of Rev. W. H. Huber of St. Paul's Methodist church. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery. The body will remain at the funeral home until the services. CROSSING TO ISLAND The drowning occurred just south of the old brickyard. Ball was one of a trio of youths who ventured on the ice about 1:20 p.m. to cross over to the island. The Ball boy was ahead of Snyder and a third youth, Robert Marshall, 13, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Marshall, 1014 Wayne avenue, when Snyder broke through. Ball came back to help Snyder while Marshall, who had just stepped onto the ice, ran for help. Marshall went to the home of George Erhart, Spafford street, told him of the mishap. He then ran to the C. W. Max hom, 1040 Riverside avenue, where there was a telephone. Mr. Max summoned the fire department. Mr. Erhart went to the river with a rope but could not reach Snyder. When firemen arrived, Snyder was clinging to the ice, about midway across the river, but Ball had gone under. In the rescue boat, rowed by Gale Tittle, Chief Hughes approaved the Snyder boy and extended him the pike pole. Just as he grabbed it, the one-inch rubbery ice to which he had been holding broke away. Chief Hughes hauled the half-frozen youth into the boat and took him to the shore. Paul Duerk rushed him to Defiance hospital. IN WATER 45 MINUTES Hughes and Tittle returned to the scene and located Ball's body with grappling hooks a quarter-hour later about 15 feet in toward the island from where Snyder had been rescued. Ball was pronounced dead on admittance to the hospital. He had been in the water about 45 minutes. Ball was born in Defiance Jan. 20, 1930. His father, Roy Ball, died July 9, 1938. Only other survivor is a half sister, Mrs. Ralph Karr, 951 Jeferson avenue. The boy was in sixth grade at central school. Snyder is in the eighth grade and Marshall in the ninth. Snyder's hands and legs were nearly frozen, but he recovered quickly. He was released from the hospital this morning. FIRST DROWNING SINCE 1938 The drowning was the first in Defiance since July 28, 1938 and the first in Defiance county since April 28, 1939. In 1938, Walter Schey, a bridge worker, fell into the Auglaize river from the Fort Winchester bridge and in 1939, Lester Kolb drowned in the Maumee river near his home in Delaware township.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Ronald Eugene Ball's memorial?
Ronald Eugene Ball's memorial is located at: Mount Calvary Cemetery, Topeka, Shawnee County, USA.
When did Ronald Eugene Ball death?
Ronald Eugene Ball death on 1 Feb 1941 in Defiance, Defiance County, Ohio, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Ronald Eugene Ball's memorial?
Latitude: 39.0532990
Longitude: -95.7360992

Family Members:

Parent

Roy James Ball

(1881 - 1938)

Bessie Pearl McCollister Ball

(1885 - 1964)

Siblings

Irene H. McCollister Karr

(1903 - 1989)

John Ball

(1914 - 1914)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Mount Calvary Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0532990, -95.7360992

2. Memorial Park Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0619011, -95.7221985

3. Mount Hope Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0367393, -95.7386703

4. Saint Davids Episcopal Church Columbarium
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0369860, -95.7259480

5. Security Benefit Association Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0630989, -95.7606583

6. Topeka State Hospital Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0671005, -95.7080994

7. Westminster Presbyterian Church Memorial Garden
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0430400, -95.7021700

8. Carnegie Hall
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0350600, -95.6999100

9. Ritchie Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0228010, -95.7027530

10. Grace Episcopal Cathedral Columbarium
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0511284, -95.6843719

11. Grace Episcopal Cathedral Sanctuary
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0506925, -95.6839273

12. Abram Burnett Burial Site
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0102997, -95.7685776

13. Mission Center Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0145493, -95.7819290

14. Prairie Home Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1077118, -95.7482910

15. Curtis Family Cemetery
North Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0792870, -95.6702270

16. West Lawn Memorial Gardens
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0518112, -95.8167419

17. Bennie Lee Graham Memorial Cemetery
Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1020584, -95.6836472

18. Foster Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9942017, -95.7061005

19. Topeka Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0388985, -95.6528015

20. Rochester Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1044006, -95.6800003

21. Mount Auburn Cemetery
Topeka, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0393982, -95.6500015

22. Elevation Cemetery
Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9832993, -95.7613983

23. Half-Day Cemetery
Elmont, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1584702, -95.7143402

24. Valencia Cemetery
Valencia, Shawnee County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0586014, -95.8806000