1977 Roar R. L. Turner High School Carrollton, Dallas Co., Texas Senior Class

 

OBITUARY Kathleen Baskin-Ball: Beloved pastor who fought cancer ministered to very end. The Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball ministered to the very end. On Nov. 16, she defied her cancer and preached all three services at Suncreek United Methodist Church in Allen. After learning last month that her aggressive cancer would soon take her life, she scheduled a series of farewell meetings at her home. There she continued to minister to those who came to say goodbye. On Sunday, she was back at the church. "She baptized 35 children, and six people joined the church while she was here, because she was just never ready to quit," said church secretary Jennifer Evans. "She just came and baptized all those babies and had a wonderful time while she was doing it." Ms. Baskin-Ball, 50, died Tuesday (Dec 2, 2008) of complications of cancer at her Allen home. Services were at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec 6, 2008 at the First United Methodist Church of Richardson. While Ms. Baskin-Ball was beloved for her devotion to her ministry, she was also a pioneer. In her seven years at Suncreek UMC, she built the congregation from fewer than 469 members to more than 1,600. In June 2007, she became the first woman elected by the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church to lead its clergy delegation to the General Conference, the denomination's important decision-making meeting. She was also elected to chair a committee at the meeting, her family said. The Rev. W. Earl Bledsoe, bishop of the North Texas Conference, praised Ms. Baskin-Ball's life and ministry. "Kathleen was one of the finest pastors I have ever known," Bishop Bledsoe said. "She had that rare gift of being able to connect with people at the core of their existence, treating them with respect and dignity." Bishop Bledsoe said he first observed that gift while he was conducting the funeral for a parishioner who had died of cancer. "The daughter of that parishioner was a member of Kathleen's congregation at the time," he said. "Kathleen came to the funeral, stayed and ministered to the family and showed pastoral care in a loving and supportive way. I immediately gained an appreciation and admiration for her ministry." Ms. Baskin-Ball will be missed in the conference and in the greater ranks of Methodist clergy, the bishop said. "We celebrate her triumphant victory over life and death," he said. Ms. Baskin-Ball connected with people because she "was the most incredible preacher I have heard in my entire life," Ms. Evans said. "You've never heard anybody preach like Kathleen. "She preached to you. She was real. She preached to you in a way that affected your life. You could apply it to your life." Ms. Baskin-Ball was born in Dallas and grew up in Carrollton and Farmers Branch. She received a bachelor's degree in psychology from what is now the University of North Texas in 1981, and a master of divinity degree from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 1986. Ms. Baskin-Ball held staff positions at churches in Carrollton, Wichita Falls and Denton before founding Nueva Esperanza Fellowship in West Dallas in 1989. Ms. Baskin-Ball went to Mexico to learn Spanish by immersion to lead her new congregation. She became fluent and could preach in Spanish. The West Dallas start-up congregation became a full church in 1994. Ms. Baskin-Ball resisted Methodist officials' requests for her to move from her first church to another congregation for years, Ms. Evans said. In 1994, Ms. Baskin-Ball became pastor at Greenland Hills UMC in Dallas, where worship attendance doubled and the budget grew more than 2 ½ times during her seven years of leadership. In 2001, she moved to Suncreek UMC, then a 6-year-old congregation. One of Ms. Baskin-Ball's last acts as pastor came Sunday afternoon, when the Suncreek youth choir sang at her home. "She visited with each and every one of them because she knew the kids were the ones who would have the hardest time," Ms. Evans said. Sunday evening, Ms. Baskin-Ball told her husband that she was tired after the glorious day and was ready for her eternal rest. Ms. Baskin-Ball is survived by her husband, Bill D. Ball Jr. of Allen; their 4-year-old son, Skyler; two sisters, Diane Baskin of Denton, and Julie Baskin Chastain of Coppell; a brother, Richard Baskin of Meansville, Ga.; and her parents, Gene and Peggy Baskin of Lewisville. Memorials may be made to a fund at Suncreek UMC to support placing a pastor in one of Dallas' most impoverished neighborhoods.   Dallas Morning News - Dec 2, 2008 Beloved Allen pastor Kathleen Baskin-Ball, 50, dies of cancer The Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball, an admired, beloved leader among United Methodist pastors in North Texas, died this morning at her Allen home after a nearly two-year fight with cancer. She was 50. Ms. Baskin-Ball leveled with her Allen congregation, Suncreek United Methodist Church, about her health crisis from the beginning. Last week, she held farewell gatherings at her home with church members and clergy colleagues. Also Online Obituary: Kathleen Baskin-Ball: Beloved pastor who fought cancer ministered to very end 11/27/08: Beloved pastor enters hospice care Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe, of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, said today he admired and appreciated her ministry. "Kathleen was one of the finest pastors I have ever known," Bishop Bledsoe said in a statement. "She had that rare gift of being able to connect with people at the core of their existence, treating them with respect and dignity." Ms. Baskin-Ball grew up in Carrollton, attended North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas, and then Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. After serving in staff positions at churches, she founded a ministry in West Dallas. She lived among her parishioners, preached bilingually and raised money for her salary. From there, she became pastor of Greenland Hills UMC in East Dallas, where worship attendance doubled in her seven-year tenure. In 2001, she moved to Suncreek. Under her, the church grew from fewer than 600 to more than 1,500 members. On Jan. 5, 2007, she learned she had neuroendocrine carcinoma. Tests found the fast-growing cancer in her chest cavity and liver. She continued to preach, sometimes from a stool, even while getting treatment. Tests last month showed cancer in four spots in her brain. Her doctor told her surgery and radiation would buy her maybe a month, with much risk of complications. She chose to forgo the treatment. Ms. Baskin-Ball spoke about receiving a "deluge of care" during her illness, from Suncreek staff and members, other friends, family and even strangers. She said her faith – in a loving God and an afterlife free from suffering, where "light is going to have the last word" – remained unshaken. She is survived by her 4-year-old son, Skyler, and husband, Bill Ball Jr. The Dallas Morning News - December 2, 2008

 

Celebrating Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball On Saturday, December 6, there will be a Memorial Service at First United Methodist Church of Richardson at 3pm to Celebrate the Life of Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball. The church is located at 503 North Central Expressway (southbound service road between Arapaho and Beltline). A reception will follow the service in the Shawver Welcome Center which is adjacent to the sanctuary. In addition to the parking on the church lot, a large parking lot is located on the Custer Road side of the property. There will be shuttle service between this lot and the sanctuary complex. Persons are encouraged to arrive early. A multimedia presentation celebrating Kathleen's life will begin at about 2:50pm. It will also be repeated following the service. There will be childcare for ages 3 and younger available beginning at 2:30 p.m. This is located on the main floor of the education center.

 

Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball preaching at Suncreek United Methodist Church in Allen, Collin County, Texas in 2007   Kathleen Baskin-Ball From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Kathleen Baskin-Ball (1958 or 1959–December 2, 2008) was an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. She was ordained as deacon and probationary member of the North Texas Conference in 1983 and as elder and full member of the North Texas Conference in 1988. She received national recognition for her preaching, especially to youth. She was a keynote speaker at Youth2007, the international youth conference of the UMC. She was also recognized regionally as the first clergywoman in North Texas to demonstrate high membership and worship attendance growth while serving as senior paster of a large church. She had an extraordinary career record of growth in membership, worship attendance, and persons joining by profession of faith. Baskin-Ball died on December 2, 2008 after a two year battle with cancer.[1] Churches served Suncreek United Methodist Church, Senior Pastor, 2001-2008 (Allen, Texas) Greenland Hills United Methodist Church, Senior Pastor, 1994-2001 (East Dallas, Texas) Nueva Esperanza United Methodist Church, Pastor, 1989-1994 (West Dallas, Texas) First United Methodist Church of Denton, Associate Pastor, 1984-1989 (Denton, Texas) First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls, Intern Pastor, 1983-1984 (Wichita Falls, Texas) Holy Covenant United Methodist Church, Associate Pastor, Director of Youth Ministries, 1980-1983 (Carrollton, Texas) Education Baskin-Ball earned a B.A. degree in Psychology from North Texas State University in 1981 [2] and an M.Div. degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 1986. Clergywoman milestones In 1981, Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in the North Texas Conference of the UMC to enter seminary immediately after completing her undergraduate education. (Between 1965 and 1982, all the women ordained by the North Texas Conference were entering ministry as a second career.) In 2002, Baskin-Ball had a Profession of Faith/Worship Attendance Index value of 17.73. (Worship attendance: 440, Profession of Faith: 78) This index denotes how many persons joined by profession of faith for every 100 persons in worship each week. This is the highest value ever recorded for a clergywoman serving a large United Methodist Church. In 2003, Baskin-Ball was the first North Texas Conference clergywoman serving a local church appointment to be elected as a Delegate to General Conference. (This election was for the 2004 General Conference.) In 2004, Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in North Texas to serve as the Senior Pastor of a church with average annual attendance of 500 or more. This occurred at Suncreek United Methodist Church in Allen. Through 2007, Baskin-Ball had a total cumulative average annual worship attendance gain of 548 persons for her three appointments as Sr. Pastor (Nueva Esparanza – 81, Greenland Hills UMC – 168 and Suncreek UMC – 299). This appears to be the highest gain for any clergywoman in the history of the United Methodist Church and the first UMC clergywoman to break the 500 person per week gain mark. (Gains in worship attendance are calculated by taking the final or most recent full year that a pastor served a church and subtracting the church’s worship attendance for the year prior to their appointment.) In 2007, Baskin-Ball was the first clergywoman in the 140 year history of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church to be elected to lead the conference’s clergy delegation to the General and Jurisdictional Conferences. By mid 2008, membership at the three churches Baskin-Ball has served as Sr. Pastor had grown by a total of more than 1500 persons during her tenure. Every church at least approximately doubled in size. Membership at Suncreek UMC had tripled at the end of her sixth year of service at the church. She has done this despite being appointed as Senior Pastor to relatively small churches (0, 301, and 469 members). The membership gain of 1134 persons at Suncreek through November 2008 represents the highest gain ever achieved by a clergywoman at one church in the United Methodist Church. (She is the first UMC clergywoman to reach the 1000 member growth mark at one church.) Preaching Baskin-Ball preached at Children's Ministries Forum '08, the United Methodist Church's three-day national children's ministries conference. Baskin-Ball was a keynote speaker at Youth2007, "the Youth Gathering of The United Methodist Church," a four-day international youth conference. In 2005, Baskin-Ball preached at SpiLiRa, a Spiritual Life Rally for youth that was sponsored by the South Central Jurisdiction of the UMC (8 state region). Baskin-Ball has preached at several large conference youth events, including events in the Texas and Central Texas Conferences. She was the featured preacher at the 21st Annual Youth Rallyin the Peninsula-Delaware Conference in early 2008 that included about 5,000 youth and adults. Baskin-Ball has preached at a number of gatherings for youth workers including Perkins School of Youth Ministry. Baskin-Ball was the preacher/speaker for the 2008 Hopkins Lectures at First UMC Denton, TX. She was a Rejebian Lecturer at Highland Park UMC (Dallas, TX). In 2007, Baskin-Ball received the Award of Excellence in Word and Worship. It was presented by Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. Other Content of Interest Baskin-Ball was elected as Chair of the Ministry and Higher Education Legislation Committee for the 2008 General Conference of the United Methodist Church. Baskin-Ball was named Best Pastor in Collin County in the 2006 Reader’s Choice Awards sponsored by Star Community Newspapers. In mid-1989, Baskin-Ball was appointed to start a new Hispanic church in West Dallas. The location was a very impoverished neighborhood that the Dallas Morning News called one of the poorest in the nation with “adjusted per capita income” less than “poverty-stricken Mexico.” She knew little Spanish so she took an intensive 5-week Spanish course in Cuernavaca, Mexico. She lived in the community and went door to door to start the church. A vibrant multi-ethnic congregation was formed with predominately Hispanic and African American members. Rev. Baskin-Ball preached on Sundays in both English and Spanish. They grew to a membership of 130 and were constituted as a United Methodist Church in April 1994.  In 2008, she was awarded the Hattie Rankin Moore Leadership Award by Wesley-Rankin Community Center to recognize work and leadership within the community of West Dallas. Baskin-Ball is one of the four founders of Perkins School of Youth Ministry (est. 1998), a national training event for youth ministers

 

ARTICLES Pastor fights cancer, helped by multitude Diagnosis spurs congregation, other Methodists to join leader in openness, aggressive prayer 12:50 PM CDT on Saturday, April 21, 2007 By SAM HODGES / The Dallas Morning News When the Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball learned she had fast-growing, malignant tumors in her liver and chest, she wanted all the help she could get, and not just from doctors.She and her husband, Bill Ball Jr., decided to level with the church she serves as senior pastor, Suncreek United Methodist in Allen. Ms. Baskin-Ball's illness, diagnosed just after Christmas, has become a drama involving not only her church but Methodists across North Texas and beyond. Fellow pastors have spread the word about Ms. Baskin-Ball, who is, at 48, in the prime of a remarkable career, and has a 3-year-old son. "I think she's on the prayer list of every Methodist church around," said Clayton Oliphint, senior pastor of First Methodist of Richardson. Besides wanting to know how she's doing – and the latest news is good – people have paid attention to the openness with which she and Suncreek have dealt with her illness. "Congregations often trust their deepest life moments with a pastor," said Gary MacDonald, director of advanced ministerial studies at SMU's Perkins School of Theology. "Here, the pastor is sharing her deepest life moments with the congregation. And you've got the pastor and congregation caring for one another." She went on to Perkins School of Theology, where she earned a master of divinity degree. Early work experience came at Holy Covenant United Methodist, where she was youth minister and associate pastor, and First United Methodist of Denton, where she was associate pastor with a focus on youth and families. From 1989 to 1994, she was pastor of a multi-ethnic ministry in West Dallas, where she preached in English and Spanish and lived in the same poor neighborhood as her parishioners. Then came seven years at Greenland Hills United Methodist in East Dallas, where attendance doubled in her time. Along the way, Ms. Baskin-Ball earned a reputation for skill at youth ministry and a commitment to social justice. But she became best known for her preaching, which she does without notes, in front of the pulpit, with Bible-based rigor, humor and passion. "She's got a very magnetic, charismatic personality, and she's able to project that authentically," said the Rev. Chuck Cox of Grace United Methodist Church in Dallas. "She's by far one of the best and most dynamic preachers in our [North Texas Methodist] Conference." In 2001, Ms. Baskin-Ball became senior pastor at Suncreek, in suburban Collin County. There she married Mr. Ball. And three years ago, at age 45, she gave birth to a long hoped for child – son Skyler. Meanwhile, under Ms. Baskin-Ball, Suncreek has gone from about 500 to more than 1,300 members. Methodist officials say it's now the largest mainline Protestant church in the Dallas area with a female senior pastor. Suncreek has grown because of housing developments popping up all around, but also, parishioners insist, because of Ms. Baskin-Ball's preaching. "There are people who drive from Garland and Frisco because she's here," said Michelle Brocklesby, chairwoman of Suncreek's council on ministries. Amid the personal happiness and professional success, Ms. Baskin-Ball began last December to feel a pain in her side. After Christmas, she went with her husband and son to the emergency room, suspecting – from Google research – that she had appendicitis. "They did a sonogram, and the doctor came out looking very grave," she recalled. "He said: 'I don't know how to tell you this, but you have cancer in your liver.' " She and her husband both remember total shock – there's no history of cancer in her family – and tears. Then came an ambulance ride to her internist's hospital, Presbyterian in Dallas, where after more tests an oncologist confirmed that she had malignant tumors in the liver and chest cavity. Biopsy results that came after New Year's would pinpoint her disease as large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. The oncologist said the cancer was aggressive, and chemotherapy would need to begin right away. "She was talking about starting on Saturday," Mr. Ball recalled. "Kathleen said, 'How much would I lose if I started on Sunday afternoon? The church has to see me first. I can't disappear. That won't be healthy for me or the church.' " The oncologist agreed treatment could start on Sunday, Jan. 7, right after church. A couple of days before that service, Ms. Baskin-Ball informed her staff and top lay leaders. Todd Moore, the church's administrative board chairman, remembers going to his meeting with her, anxiously expecting to hear she was moving to another church. Instead, he heard about her cancer. "I can remember saying to her, 'I wish you'd told me you were leaving. That would have been so much easier to comprehend,' " Mr. Moore said. Ms. Baskin-Ball sent a letter Jan. 4 to church members, informing them of the cancer, and adding: "We are saddened and afraid but no less faithful in believing that God will somehow bring blessing midst the burden of cancer." That Sunday, the church was packed, members having gotten their letter. Ms. Baskin-Ball preached a sermon titled "Immersed in Love," which she began by noting that her grandmother taught her to praise God by saying "glory be." Ms. Baskin-Ball ended the sermon this way: "What will bring more healing than anything else is me walking into this church and having you wrap your arms around each other, around me, around those in need, in a way that says, 'Glory be, God. Glory be. You are right here with us every step of the way.' " A throng of family, friends and parishioners visited Ms. Baskin-Ball that afternoon as she checked into the hospital for her first round of chemotherapy. Since then, as chemo treatments have proceeded every three weeks on an outpatient basis, church members have done all manner of favors for her and her family, including cooking many meals and giving her post-chemo massages. She has been inundated with cards, and she has received a dozen prayer shawls from around the country. In the most public show of support yet, Ms. Baskin-Ball's close friend Celia Whitler, a Christian songwriter, has organized a benefit concert for Sunday afternoon at First United Methodist in Richardson. Beginning at 5 p.m., it will feature such top Nashville songwriters as Nicole Witt, Don Poythress and Billy Montana. An offering will be collected to help reduce Ms. Baskin-Ball's out-of-pocket medical expenses. Because of her illness, Ms. Baskin-Ball has delegated more authority to Suncreek's staff and lay leaders. On chemo weeks, particularly, she tends to work from home. But she has preached on, wearing a convincing brown wig after chemo claimed her hair. She has missed only one Sunday, even filling-in at the last minute for a guest preacher who couldn't get there. "Her generosity with her energy at this stage – when she really is compromised physically – has had a powerful effect on all of us," said church member Jayne Grimes. She and other members speak of Suncreek being strengthened in its faith and works during Ms. Baskin-Ball's ordeal. Attendance and new membership are up for the first quarter of 2007, compared to last year. And the church is pressing on with a $2.5 million capital campaign. Ms. Baskin-Ball said her latest "scan" showed a 60 percent reduction of her biggest liver tumor and an even greater reduction of the chest tumor. Some smaller liver tumors appear to be gone altogether. But she understands that cancer can be unpredictable, and she also has preached at the funerals of people who had lots of prayers sent up for them. "I believe that God is healing all the time," she said. "What I won't try to put into a box is what that healing looks like. ... I think for God to be victorious in my life means that I will learn to live through this in a way that shows love has the last word and love is victorious in the spirit of who I am, whether I get well or not." Five minutes after making that statement, she was escorting her visitor out of her office and into the church hall, where she excitedly showed off the diagram of Suncreek's master plan.   Beloved N. Texas Methodist pastor, 50, to enter hospice care for cancer 01:35 PM CST on Saturday, November 29, 2008 By SAM HODGES / The Dallas Morning News A collective “Why her, Lord?” shuddered through the ranks of North Texas United Methodists late last week. Word arrived that the Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball, an admired, beloved leader among United Methodist pastors — and mother of a 4-year-old boy — would enter hospice care after a nearly two-year fight with cancer.   Joy Anderson (left) hugs Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball as she and Debra Hobbes Mason, both of First United Methodist Richardson, say goodbye to the Rev. Baskin-Ball in her home. View larger Photography Photo store Not surprisingly, the news came directly from Ms. Baskin-Ball and her husband, Bill Ball Jr., who decided from the beginning of her health crisis to level with her congregation, Suncreek United Methodist Church in Allen, and others.   This week, Ms. Baskin-Ball scheduled farewell gatherings at her home with church members and clergy colleagues. “We opened the door two years ago,” said Ms. Baskin-Ball, 50. “Once you do that, people are in the journey with you.” On Monday, pastors filled her family room, moving from chair to chair as they waited their turn to hug and hold hands with the gaunt but effusive Ms. Baskin-Ball, who was doing much of the consoling. “She’s still in ministry mode,” said the Rev. John Mollet, pastor of Stonebridge UMC in McKinney. The gathering yielded tears and laughter. But no sugar-coating. “It breaks our hearts,” said the Rev. Dennis Wilkinson, pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Coppell. “Everybody loves her, and she loves back, without restraint.” Growing churches Ms. Baskin-Ball grew up in Carrollton, attending the University of North Texas, then Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. After serving in staff positions at churches, she founded a ministry in West Dallas. She lived among her parishioners, preached bilingually, and raised money for her salary. From there she became pastor of Greenland Hills UMC in Dallas, where worship attendance doubled in her seven years. In 2001, she moved on to Suncreek. Under her, the church has grown from fewer than 600 to more than 1,500 members. For the United Methodist Church, which has seen general membership decline, Ms. Baskin-Ball has been a welcome success story. She’s proved that a woman with rhetorical skills (and the tendency to hug everyone in sight) can grow a congregation to near mega-church size. “She’s one of the best preachers in our conference,” said Mr. Wilkinson. “That’s just the reality.” For women colleagues, Ms. Baskin-Ball has been a role model. “She taught me how to be a pastor,” said the Rev. Diana Holbert of Grace United Methodist Church in Dallas, adding with delight that Ms. Baskin-Ball “refused to wear the black pantsuit” that has symbolized women in ministry. Everything seemed in place for Ms. Baskin-Ball, including a long-hoped for child, son Skyler, whom she gave birth to at age 45. But on Jan. 5, 2007, she learned she had neuroendocrine carcinoma. Tests found the fast-growing cancer in her chest cavity and liver. Before beginning chemotherapy, she wrote her congregation about the diagnosis and talked about it in a sermon. And she has kept preaching, sometimes from a stool, missing just two scheduled sermons even as the energy-sapping treatments continued with few breaks. Though she didn’t make a habit of discussing her cancer during Suncreek’s services, she didn’t hesitate to do so. “When I first got my wig, I said, ‘What do you think?’ They gave me a standing ovation,” she said. “There were other moments when I stood up at announcements time and said, ‘This is a hard day for me. I need your prayers.’.” Ms. Baskin-Ball was elected clergy leader of the North Texas Conference delegation to last spring’s General Conference, a denominational policy-making meeting that draws Methodists from around the world. At the summer South Central Jurisdictional Conference, she continued as a delegation leader but removed herself from consideration for higher office. “The general consensus was she would have been elected a bishop,” Mr. Wilkinson said.   ‘Through the fire’ Ms. Baskin-Ball preached two Sundays ago, and in October traveled with her husband to Ireland. But a bad reaction to the latest chemotherapy prompted tests last week that showed cancer in four spots in her brain. She said her doctor told her surgery and radiation would buy her maybe a month, with much risk of complications. “My body has been through the fire,” Ms. Baskin-Ball said. “I just didn’t feel like I had it in me, especially if it would give me one more month, and the quality of life would not be good or healthy for my family.” Mr. Ball sent a mass e-mail Nov. 20, delivering the news and announcing visiting sessions. “We are all very sad,” he wrote. “We want to make the most of the time she has left.” Ms. Baskin-Ball speaks of receiving a “deluge of care” during her illness, from Suncreek staff and members, other friends, family, even strangers. She acknowledges dark moments, especially anticipating separation from her husband and son. But she said her faith — in a loving God and an afterlife free from suffering, where “light is going to have the last word” — remains unshaken. Among those visiting Monday was the Rev. Bill McElvaney, a retired pastor and seminary president who said the ‘why question’ of Ms. Baskin-Ball’s illness can’t be answered. “I encourage people to ask the ‘how question,’ and that is, ‘How are we going to get through this and support one another?’.” he said. “She’s making a testimony that death is part of life. There are just not many people who are this open, and it’s a real gift.”

Notes:

• In Memoriam - R. L. Turner High School - Class of 1977