Berdenia Merle Ball, 83, died at 1:45 a.m. Jan. 8, 2016, stepped into Heaven walking hand in hand with her lord and savior, Jesus Christ into everlasting life, welcomed by her loving husband Bob, along with family and friends.

She was born on Aug. 18, 1932, in a little house at the edge of Fulton, to her parents Urbin and Edith (Baird) Jackson and one older sister Charlene. On June 17, 1951, at the Fulton Evangelical United Brethren Church in a double wedding ceremony with her sister Charlene, who married Gene Williams, she married Walter (Bob) Ball Jr. Just two days shy of 60 years of marriage, they raised four children who were blessed to have loving, caring parents.

After graduating from Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in 1956 as a registered nurse, she worked in surgery, OB and on various medical floors in several hospitals, along with doing private duty nursing, director of nursing at the Rochester Hospital and Strawberry Village Nursing Home. She also taught nursing classes at several nursing homes and worked for home care before retiring from the nursing field.

Berdenia was a loving and caring mother and will be dearly missed by Steven (Nadiya) Ball, Fort Wayne; Mary Ann (Leland) Hooley, Ligonier; Phillip (Tina) Ball, Ligonier; Mary Alice (Bryan) Yoes, Houston; six grandchildren: Jeremiah (Rhoda) Ball,Ligonier; Olivia (Jonathan) Kline, Huntington; Megan (Tyler) Esposito, Houston; Ashley and Elizabeth Yoes, Houston; Ruslan (Shelia) Sadonova Ball, Napa Valley, Calif.; six great-grandchildren: Audrey and Colten Kline; Alina and Sasha Sadonova Ball; Juliette Ball and Hallie Joy Esposito.

A funeral in honor of Berdenia will be held at the Ligonier Evangelical Church; 1911 Lincolnway South Ligonier, at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 16. Pastor Troy Diersing will officiate. Burial will take place at Oak Park Cemetery, Ligonier.

Family and friends will be received from 2-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, at Yeager Funeral Home, 1589 Lincolnway South, Ligonier. On Saturday, Jan.16, 2016 viewing will be at the Church from 10-11 a.m. followed by the service at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the International Rett Syndrome Association or the Ligonier Evangelical Church.