Funeral Services for Kathy Sharlene Ball, Age 74 of Decatur, Illinois (born, formerly of Thayer, Missouri) will be held on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025 at The Clary Funeral Home, Thayer, Missouri, beginning at 2PM. Burial will be in The Riverside Cemetery, Mammoth Spring, Arkansas following the service.
Kathy Sharlene Ball, known to her loved ones simply as Sharlene, was born on May 9, 1950, in Thayer, Missouri. She entered into eternal rest on November 26, 2025, at her home, surrounded by her family, following a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Sharlene’s love for her family was immeasurable, second only to her deep devotion to God. She was a loving wife and a cherished mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt. As a preacher’s wife in the Church of Christ, she faithfully supported her husband throughout their 50 years of marriage, until his passing. She cared wholeheartedly for anyone who was struggling or in need—whether it was due to illness, the arrival of a new baby, a move, or a moment of crisis. Sharlene was always there to offer her help and support without hesitation.
Sharlene’s radiant personality left a lasting mark on everyone blessed to know her. She was a jokester and was always on the move, burning up the road between Decatur, Alabama, and Hardy, Arkansas. She adored her dog, Nana, often joking that there was “a Nana and a Mema” in her home. She frequently mixed up her words and would laugh harder at herself than anyone else. Her light, humor, and warmth will be dearly and deeply missed.
Sharlene had a remarkable gift for turning ordinary moments into cherished memories. When Kathy and Jeannie were children, she often reminded them to “put this in your memory box”—her gentle way of saying to remember this moment and hold it close. That loving phrase echoes even more deeply in their hearts today as they remember her.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Robert James Ball and her parents Luther J. Haney and Oletha Haney.
She is survived by her daughters, Kathy Ball-Arboleya and Jeannie Little, and her son-in-law, Tim Little. Her grandchildren—Zackary Wallace, Jacob Little, Caleb Little, Stephen Arboleya, and Katie Reiser—and her seven great-grandchildren, Noah, Luna, Isla, Liam, Emmett, Liara, and Meadow. — Her siblings, Carolyn Dietsche, Joyce Hedden, Peggy Loktu, Stannie Kimble, Danny Haney,— and many nieces and nephews.
Above all, Sharlene’s greatest gift was herself—her unwavering love and devotion to her family and friends. Her quiet strength, faith, and capacity for forgiveness leave a lasting legacy in the family she nurtured and in all the lives she touched throughout her years.
