Harold Grant Balls, 93, died peacefully Saturday, February 6th, 2010, at the Caribou Memorial Living Center in Soda Springs, Idaho.

Harold was born May 12th, 1916 to Kenneth Grant Balls and Zina Horsley Balls at Davisville, four miles west of Soda Springs, Idaho. He was the first born of nine children.

When Harold was 12, the family moved from the dry farm to a new brick home in Soda Springs. After graduating from Soda Springs High School in 1934, Harold attended BYU for two years and later attended two quarters at USAC (Utah State University) in Logan, Utah.

On his 21st birthday, Harold received a call to serve a mission in Australia. He valued this experience and often said it was one of the happiest times of his life. In 1941, he was inducted into the Army, serving with the 35th Infantry until 1945. His service included seventeen months in Europe during World War II.


He met Eleanor Morrell in Salt Lake City, and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on May 16, 1947. After their wedding, they moved to the house where Harold's grandparents had lived in Davisville. They lived in that home until 1976, when they bought a home in the Valley View Subdivision. They later moved into town in 1998.


Harold and Eleanor were blessed with four sons: Steven Grant, Kenneth Redge, and twins Garth Morrell and Wayne Morrell. Because these four were very close in age, they later served LDS missions at the same time.


Harold was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving as a home teacher, Priests' quorum advisor, Sunday School teacher, M Men leader, ward chorister, Seventies quorum president, ward MIA superintendent, assistant stake clerk, counselor in the Soda Springs First Ward bishopric, and stake YMMIA superintendent. Harold and Eleanor also served two missions: the first in 1986 in the Philippines, and the second in 1991 at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City.


Harold farmed and worked a number of part-time jobs from 1947 to 1959. He then worked at Monsanto Company in Soda Springs for the next 27 years, retiring in 1986.
Whatever the job was, Harold could be counted on to give it his all. He loved to work and always seemed to need a project to be working on, even well into his advanced years.


Throughout his life, Harold appreciated good music. He played the piano quite well and along with Eleanor sang in many ward choirs. He encouraged his sons to develop their musical talents and fostered this same love of music with his grandchildren. Both Harold and Eleanor were a constant support to local musicians and school musical groups.


Harold was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Maurice, Fred, Margaret, and Genevieve, and three great-granddaughters. He is survived by his siblings Florence Wilde of
Coalville, Utah; K. Gerald Balls of Normal, Illinois; Merrill Balls of Soda Springs; and Lucile Bagley, also of Soda Springs. He is also survived by his wife, Eleanor; his sons, Steven (Jane) of Fresno, California; Redge (Charlene) of Soda Springs, Idaho; Garth (LaVaun) of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and Wayne (Bonnie) of Mesa, Arizona; 25 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren.


Services will be held on Friday, February 12th, at noon at the Soda Springs LDS Stake Center. The family will visit with friends on Thursday evening from 7 to 8 PM at the Sims Funeral Home and on Friday morning from 10:30-11:30 at the church prior to services. Burial will be at the Fairview Cemetery following the services. In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to the LDS Perpetual Education Fund.