Dorita Mae Ball

Dorita Mae (Bonds) Ball was born May 8, 1940 in Sayre, Oklahoma to Pearl (Kindsfather) and Loren D. Bonds. She passed away November 29, 2024 in Oklahoma City at the age of 84 years. Dorita grew up in the Sayre community and graduated from Sayre High School in 1958 where she was active in basketball, track, and cheerleading. Dorita helped her family on their farm and dairy and enjoyed being outside and spending time with her many cousins who lived nearby.

Dorita was a huge Elvis fan and loved to tell the story of her friends' parents taking them to an Elvis concert in Amarillo, Texas and how exciting that trip was! After graduating high school, she attended Sayre Jr. College where she was crowned Homecoming Queen by the captain of the basketball team, Larry Ball, and the rest, as they say, is history! She and Larry began dating and were wed on May 31, 1959. It was a lifelong love as they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this year.

After marrying, they lived in Rocky, Hobart, Norman, and Weatherford while Larry completed his degree, and finally settled in Sentinel, Oklahoma.

They welcomed their first child, Brent, in 1960, their second son, Blake, in 1962, and finally completed their family with a daughter, Becky, in 1968.

Dorita started her career as a school secretary in Port, Oklahoma in 1962 and continued at Sentinel until they moved to Cordell in 1982, where Dorita was the activity fund administrator. Dorita was a faithful member of the United Methodist Church.

During the years that her children were growing up, Dorita was always there for all three of her kids, cheering them on with a smile, enjoying all the sporting events and the many hours spent attending rodeos to watch her boys compete.

Dorita retired in 2000, which allowed her to do what she loved most of all, spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved watching them participate in all of their sports and extracurricular activities, and was so proud of them no matter what they might be doing.

Dorita loved cooking for her family. She made special cookies and cakes for everyone's birthday and loved having them all together for any occasion.

Dorita and her high school basketball teammates got a taste of movie stardom when their coach's nephew wrote a book that was made into a movie, "Believe In Me," which she and her teammates were a part of the filming and premiers. Her movie has been an inspiration to many teams since.

Dorita was always well put together, and she, Becky and Dara loved their shopping trips, and all the girls loved their trips with her to the Country Dove.

Her kindness and compassion extended beyond that of her own family. She was a friend to many over the years and will be greatly missed.

Dorita is survived by:

Husband: Larry Ball, Cordell, OK

Children: Brent Ball and wife Kristy, Cordell, OK

Blake Ball, Rocky, OK

Becky Hines and husband Scott, Fort Cobb, OK

Grandchildren: Dillon Ball and wife Deidra, Cordell, OK

Denton Ball, Amarillo, TX

Dara Steinmetz and husband Garrett, Cashion, OK

Dalton Ball and wife Averie, Cordell, OK

Cameron Hines and wife Cadie, Fort Cobb, OK

Kellen Hines, Fort Cobb, OK

Great-grandchildren; Brenyn Ball, Blakely Ball, Brylee Ball, Bennett Ball, Kaydence Ball, Sophie Ball, Lillie Steinmetz, Landrie Steinmetz, Locklyn Steinmetz, and 2 on the way.

Sisters: Frances Hoepfner and husband Nick, Wichita Falls, OK

Lorna Alexander, Lawrence, KS

A host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Preceded in death by her parents: LD & Pearl (Kindsfather) Bonds and great-granddaughter: Bellamy Ball.

Funeral: 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 4, 2024

First United Methodist Church

Cordell, OK

Visitation: 1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Monday, December 2, 2024

1:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Ray & Martha's Funeral Home

Cordell, OK

Family welcoming guest 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 3, 2024.

Interment: Lonestar Cemetery

Rocky, OK

Under the direction of Ray & Martha's Funeral Home, Cordell, OK