Bill and Dot Ball, life members of, among other things, the Te Kūiti and Districts RSA.
The life of a King Country sporting legend has been celebrated.
Bill and Dot Ball
She wasn’t a Silver Fern, a Black Fern or any other form of fern, but Doris ‘Dot’ Ball was an all-round good sport.
From hockey, softball and basketball to netball, her love of the game and her community underscored her life. Generations have been influenced by Dot, her son Wayne Ball said.
“She was all about service to others as opposed to herself. She sacrificed plenty of her own time to help,” he said. “In particular, Mum had a substantial effect on netball. Prior to the last 5-10 years, anyone taking part in Te Kūiti would have had some relationship with her.”
Dot died recently, aged 90. At her service at the Les Munro Centre, she was surrounded by her husband of 64 years, Tukairangi William (Bill) Ball, her children, Wayne, Greg, Maureen, Dean and Davina, and their partners. Most of her 16 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren attended.
Considering Dot’s extensive community involvement – for which she was recognised through a Queen’s Service Order (QSO) – it’s not surprising there was standing room only.
“It was a funeral and celebration,” said Wayne. “We put out roughly 350 chairs the day before, but they still needed more – there were at least 400 people there on the day.”
Both Dot and Bill have received a number of life memberships – including with the Te Kūiti and Districts RSA.
In her youth, Dot represented Waikato in basketball and King Country in softball; however netball was her lifelong passion.
“She joined the United Netball Club in 1961. She was an umpire, a selector and a player, even into her sixties or seventies. She was also the main driver behind the extension of the Maniapoto Netball Centre.”
In addition, Dot ran the centre’s canteen for 20 years, with Bill’s help for 18.
“They worked there together for free, because someone had to. There was a lot of work to prep, organise and serve the food. They only retired from the canteen about 10 years ago.”
Dot was driven to serve from an early age.
“She was born in Taumarunui, raised in Waimiha in what would have been the back blocks of the Pureora Forest,” Wayne said. “Her parents acquired a block of land and broke it in, felling trees with axes and saws, and I don’t mean chainsaws.”
After leaving Te Kūiti High School, Dot joined the Royal New Zealand Airforce in 1953. During this time, she represented the force in hockey, softball and basketball before retiring as a corporal.
Dot’s life changed forever when she met a man similarly devoted to sport and his community.
“She met Dad about 1958,” Wayne said. “They were both softball players. She walked into a social and it was love at first sight. Dad saw her and said ‘I’m going to marry that woman,’ and in January 1961, he did just that.”
The following year, the family settled on Gadsby Road, Te Kūiti, when Wayne was just six months old. It is still the family’s home after more than 60 years.
Bill and Dot became partners in business as well as life, working together for their painting and decorating enterprise.
In the mid-1990s, Bill hung up his paintbrush. The couple then opened two retail businesses – first, On the Ball Drycleaners, followed by a haberdashery. They finally retired aged 75.
Regardless of the objective – in business, sport, community and family – Dot gave everything her best effort, Wayne said.
“All her life, Mum was a worker. My grandfather had six children but he used to say that she was the most helpful on the farm because she’d always get stuck in. I think a lot of people admired her for how hard she worked over many years.”
Bill and Dot Ball, life members of, among other things, the Te Kūiti and Districts RSA.
