Carolyn Ball

Carolyn Carter was born on December 17, 1947, in Miami Florida to the late Mr. Dennis Carter and late Mrs. Maggie Carter. She was the eldest of four children and her other siblings are: Mamie Spikes (of Miami), Dennis Carter, Jr. (of Coral Springs, Fl) and Elizabeth Carter (of Miami). Her mother had two other sons: James Lee Willis (who preceded her in death) and Zuberi (Cathy) Thabiti (of Coral Springs, Fl). She graduated from Miami Northwestern Senior High School and would brag to everyone about how proud she was to be a “Bull.”

As a young woman, she met and married the late Joe Louis Ball, Sr on August 29, 1965, and to this union five children were born: Zanatrese, Joe Jr., Stacey, Katrina, and Debra.

Attending church as a child and being raised by a God-fearing mother, Carolyn was planted with seeds to begin her journey with Christ. While watching a Christian television program as a young adult, she surrendered to God. She said she felt the conviction of the Holy Ghost while watching a Sunday morning message. She stood in front of the television and fully surrendered her life to Christ. She knew that God made a change in her heart because she immediately began to adorn herself as a woman of God. She was later baptized, filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to serve in her local church.

She joined Outreach Mission COGIC under former Pastor Hampton Days and served faithfully there. She later joined the Apostolic Revival Center, under the late Dr. Gilbert S. Smith, where she remained faithful until she could no longer attend and serve. Over the years, she served in several church ministries. She served alongside her husband and children as a missionary. She would often spread the gospel to anyone that she encountered and would leave a gospel tract every place her feet would tread. She often prepared food for the “Street Ministry” on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings. For over 30 years she spread the gospel to the destitute of Miami. She said that God told her to feed his people. She attended to their natural and spiritual needs, so that they could see the goodness of God through her.

Like the mother who raised her, she would often go to her favorite place, which was crying out to God on her knees. Many mornings her children would find her lying on her bedroom floor, speaking in her heavenly language, pouring out her heart to her heavenly Father.

She was a faithful member of several auxiliary boards at Apostolic Revival Center including: The Women’s Ministry, the Street Ministry (serving the homeless and evangelizing in the community), the Prison Ministry (supporting those in juvenile detention centers and state prisons), the Soup Ministry (feeding soup to the homeless), The Center (sowing with her retired friends and making blankets for the homeless), the deaconess board, and so much more.

Out of all the positions she held, her proudest was being a wife and mother. She has served so many people throughout the years and FINALLY she gets to rest as a good and faithful servant.

She will be remembered by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, her siblings, extended family members, church friends, and many others.

Revelation 14:13 “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”