Skip to main content

Michele Lucille (Ball) Smith

Heartbroken, in tears, at a complete loss for words . . . it can’t be!

This was my overwhelming and immediate gut-wrenching reaction when I received the following text message at 10:46 a.m. on October 9, 2019. “Your sister is no longer with us.”

“But, she was recovering?!”

Just a few days prior, her personal team of doctors; heart, lung, 24/7 on-duty nurse, ECMO technicians, and an arsenal of other specialists at the University of Chicago Medical Center were optimistic - what happened, why - how is this possible . . . So many thoughts and emotions poured through my entire being. 

“She's Tough,” said the doctors. Michele beat the odds and made it through a complication in her condition that required surgery to remove a blood clot and fluid buildup on her heart.

I had just returned home from the Chicago hospital. And said to my wife Lori, “She regained consciousness, recognized me, and blew me a kiss.”

Really, my beautiful Lil' sister Michele Lucille (Ball) Smith, at 53 years young, was gone! Mercifully she is no longer suffering.

About two years ago, Michele was diagnosed with a rare form of  Pulmonary Hypertension. Admittedly, we really did not know what that meant and, when we looked it up, did not comprehend the seriousness or consequences of the disease.

Michele was a devoted wife to Harold Smith and the mother of two strapping young men, Evan and Cole. Together with her friend, companion, and husband, she had raised her boys on a farm in the small rural community of Monterey, IL. To say she was an animal lover was an understatement. Her boys grew up with pets; dogs, cats, chickens, horses, ducks, hogs, cows, raccoons, you name it they took them in. Strays, homeless, and abandoned animals.

You see, my sisters' true calling was as a Veterinary Technician (Vet Tech) for the Spoon River Animal Clinic for over 20 years. She possessed the practical knowledge of a veterinarian with no formal degree or veterinary license. Admittedly, everyone in the county would tell you, “Those doctors at that Clinic, they rely on Michele’s expertise and loving care to administer whatever it takes.” That was proven to all when she was hospitalized and airlifted to the Chicago Medical Center.

“We’ve never seen anything like this,” the doctors would say.

The outpouring of love; cards, gifts, mail, packages, text messages, visitors, well-wishers, and Facebook posts. The devotion of her husband, Harold, who never left her side (he never left the hospital, never went outside) for over six weeks. And Sharon Smith, her Godly mother-in-law who was there (with unwavering faith) to support her son, practically the entire stay at the hospital. What devotion, what faith!

Michele Lucille Ball was born in Canton, IL., on December 19, 1965. An early Christmas gift for our family. Raising three young boys at that time, Patrick, Ronald, and Rodger, was an enormous challenge for my parents. But Mom wanted a girl. Turns out secretly I think Dad probably did too. She was named after my mother's best friend growing up in Lagord, France, Micheline, the spelling of her name comes from the French Michèle. Contrary to what everyone in the U.S. believed, her middle name was taken from my maternal grandmother, Lucienne Marie Fernande Bontemps, not Lucille Ball.

Of course, we were convinced that the song Michelle by The Beatles was written specifically for her in 1965. We would sing it to her, as a tiny baby, with Mom improvising the French lyrics.

As a young girl, Michele traveled to France (we all did) with our Mother to meet family and learn her French heritage. With the advent of Facebook, she would correspond regularly with our cousin, about Michele’s age, Virginie Bontemps, who had moved to Paris.

Growing up in the small Midwestern town of Cuba, IL. We had stories like this one shared on Facebook by Wanda May (Taylor) Estrada: 

“The one memory that has been with me was when we went sledding down the big hill at Cuba's old baseball field. It was freezing, but we still went. After about an hour or so, Michele and I were frozen; we could hardly walk. You had to pull us all the way home on the sled. Your Mom made hot chocolate, and she always made the best too.”

As with all families, our lives went separate ways. When Michele was 11, I left home to attend college. After college, I moved to California. For years we would invite her to come to California to visit. As you can see from the photo, Michele did come to California to be one of the Maids of Honor at our wedding.

A year later, we returned home to see her marry a fun-loving, hard-working, and supportive young man (Harold). Among her many accomplishments, she would raise two fine young men and care for hundreds of animals. One of her true passions was horses; the family would attend rodeos, go on trail rides in Colorado. She became a true cowgirl. Together they built a wonderful life in that small rural community in Central Illinois.

How do I know that because I witnessed the outpouring of love and stories from family, friends, neighbors, church members, and complete strangers! Cards, gifts, mail, packages, text messages, visitors, well-wishers, and Facebook posts from all over the world.

You will never know how your life affects others. 

Thank you all for your prayers and condolences. My Lil’ sister is now riding with the angels, “On pony she named Wildfire.” God's speed, Michele - you will always be loved.

Patrick Ball
October 12, 2019

Comments

Anonymous said…
So sorry to hear of her passing. My neice Tina was her cousin in law and best friend. I remember what a sweet little girl she was. She was very loved by all who knew her. - Garnet Louise ( Lefler) Freitag
Unknown said…
I was in shock to learn that Michele has passed away, and so very sad. Michele was a Beautiful lady, sweet and kind, she truly loved All animals. Such a Sweet special lady, taken way too soon. Sending thoughts and prayers, and my most sincere sympathy and condolences to her family and loved ones.
I was a few grades ahead of her in school, grew up with her and her brothers,I have known her my whole life, and she has always been a sweet, loving, person, and always a smile on her face, even when she felt bad. I am so sad to know that we will never see her again. Thinking of you all during this most difficult time. Take comfort that shes no longer suffering, and now at peace. Fly High Michele Ball Smith, and I know that God has already Blessed your soul. This Special Cowgirl will truly be missed by so many people and animals.
Don Hanley said…
Hi Patrick: I didn't read this earlier because I thought it was about THE Lucille Ball, the actress whom I did not like. Now I'm wondering if you not mentioning this at first was a gift to me and others to realize that a wonderful life is not influenced by notoriety. Thanks, Don Hanley

Most Popular of All Time

Beyond Facts-The Deep Dive

✨ In this episode, Beyond Facts: Reimagining School–in the Age of AI . . .   This week's podcast is a bit different; it's another example of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can offer tools to creatively enhance your analytical presentation of information. We took this week's blog and copied it into Gemini with the question, “If a story is to work, it must, on some level, create an illusion of escape and also achieve a goal simultaneously. Does this apply to my blog post that follows?” What's created is not just an analysis of the writing, but an AI-generated discussion produced “On the Fly” - Enjoy! Did you know that the word "school" comes from the ancient Greek word scholÄ“ , which originally meant "leisure"? Not a rigid schedule or droning lectures filled with "facts," but free time for thinking and conversation. To the Greeks, learning happened best when life slowed down—when you had room to reflect, to ask questions, and to wrestle ...

A Heart Full of Thanks

Oh, the thanks I could think, and the thanks I could say! For the wonderful people who brightened my day. The first one is Lori, my wife, sweet and true, Who knows just the thing and knows just what to do. She whipped up a feast with a smile and a sigh, With corn on the cob and a steak cooked “On the Fly!” My neighbor, Steve, with a mischievous gleam, Said, “No fence work today! No work, it would seem! You’ll paint with some water, some colors so bright, And sign your new painting with all of your might!" I laughed and I said, “But I don’t know that skill! I’ll slap on some paint and see what sticks still!” Then there’s my friends on the Facebook machine, The best group of readers that ever was seen! They read all my blogs and they hear my podcasts, They send all their cheer that's built to last! And Billy and Linda. A Snoopy card in the mail. A wonderful surprise that was sure to prevail! From very good friends, a delightful new tale ! But the thanks didn't stop, no, not...

The Summer Surprise

In this special episode, The Summer Surprise . . .   Well, howdy there! It's me, Huck Finn, and lemme tell ya, somethin' special happened just the other day. We called it "The Summer Surprise.” Phew-wee! That ol' post box, it coughed up somethin' good! Wasn't no bills, nor them pesky ads, and thankfully, no regular ol' rocks neither. Nope, this here was a letter, folded up neat as a pin, looked a bit like one o' them school lockers, just sittin' there waitin' to be opened. It was from young Sierra, a mighty fine friend, and she'd gone and made some pure, honest-to-goodness artwork with her own two hands. My fingers they was all thumbs, just itching to see what kind of wild wonder she'd whipped up this time. I unfolded that paper, careful-like, you know, and bless my bare feet, there it was! A picture of a whole gymnasium and a mini-soccer field, all done up in colors that just popped. She'd used crayons and pencils, and you could tel...

A Pirate's Ponderings

In this episode, A Pirate's Ponderings: Turning 69 with a Classic . . . When was the last time you were so compelled by a quest that you had your bags packed and your boots on before the first rooster crowed? For me, this summer has been exactly that, a journey where the world outside faded away and the one inside my head roared to life. I felt like that young cabin boy in training, with the vast ocean of a great story stretching out before me. My hand was on the wheel, navigating every swell, riding the waves, and eager to see what lay just beyond the horizon. This wasn't a journey across lands, but a flight of imagination that has been an exciting ride. My adventure took off on the deck of the Hispaniola as I became lost on Treasure Island . My imagination soared, and I could almost taste the salt spray and feel the ship's timbers groan as we sailed toward our destiny. Below deck, in the narrow, shadowy depths, I could smell the hearty meals Long John Silver and Jim Haw...