JOHN FREDERICK BALL II
(always Fred, or Fr. Fred, and sometimes “Padre”, to the many who knew him as Franciscan priest in the Ecumenical Catholic Community) was born on January 22, 1960 and died on July 14, 2023 in his hometown of Little Rock, Ark. In his 63 years he lived a life of passionate advocacy for peace and justice, for authenticity and community. Fred was exuberant and genuine, with a quick wit and a ready enthusiasm for an eclectic range of interests. He was a lifelong hobbyist since childhood when he could be found tumbling rocks, cutting glass, working with leather, or teasing his little sister, another favorite hobby.
Fred was a lifelong learner, seeker of truth, and worker for peace. Fred was an Eagle Scout and member of the Order of the Arrow. After graduating Hall High School (‘78), Fred earned his B.A. at Ouachita Baptist University (‘82) where he was a member of Beta Beta Men’s Social Club, Blue Key National Fraternity, and the Ouachita Student Foundation. Following this, he earned an M.Div. (‘86) and Ph.D. (‘93) from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and was a pastor in this tradition for nearly 20 years, in both Arkansas and Kentucky. He was active in mission work in Guatemala and Honduras, where he engaged with the culture, the language, and the people. His spirituality always dynamic and his mind always inquisitive, during the latter part of this time he found himself drawn to the Franciscan Order. This tradition founded by St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi provided an element of “depth and drama” to his faith with a focus on reconciliation, care for creation, and care for the marginalized and oppressed. During this time, he also studied Old Catholic Theology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and overlapping with these years of spiritual exploration he continued to work as Research Associate at the University for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. He founded San Damiano Church in Little Rock, Ark. in 2006, where he served as priest until 2021 and was able to live out his vocation as an instrument of peace and an advocate for unity.
It would be equally unsurprising to find Fred blessing animals at the dog park on St. Francis Day, decked out in full Medieval garb at the Renaissance Faire, or entertaining friends in the comfort of his home, egging them on to try the spiciest gourmet hot sauce or perfecting a cup of espresso. Fred was funny, intuitive, and engaging, never missing the opportunity to make a corny pun or share a quirky anecdote or piece of trivia. He was a lover of words and etymologies, with a memory like a steel trap. Fred was both intellectual and down-to-earth, and in the same conversation could talk aesthetics, history, theology, Razorbacks, Yankees, motorcycles, and barbecue. He respected, appreciated, and welcomed people of any and all backgrounds. He was “ecumenical” in every sense of the word.
Fred leaves behind his children, Wesley (fiancée Caitlin Dempsey) Ball, Mary Clare Ball, Katie Walker (Mykolas) Sakevicius, and Hannah Walker (Connor) McGuinness; his sister, Becky Ball, her daughter, Kelsey (Justin) Pelham and their three children, and her daughter Laney Treusdell; and his beloved dog, Tilly.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Carroll and Barbara Ball of Little Rock.
A funeral mass will be held in honor of Fred on Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Saint Michael’s Episcopal Church in Little Rock. Arrangements under the direction of ruebelfuneralhome.com
¨Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”- St. Francis of Assisi