Norah Neeld

Norah Neeld

• Norah Neeld was born on 3 September 1901 in Montague County, Texas.
• She married Horace Ball, son of Benjamin B. Ball and Sarah Elizabeth Shortes.
• Norah Neeld died on 11 September 1975 at age 74 in Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas.
• She was interred at Elmwood Cemetery, Bowie, Montague County, Texas.
• The following appeared on 7 November 1975 in the Corsicana Daily Sun: (Wichita Falls) Relatives of the late Horace Ball go on a "treasure hunt" today digging holes and tearing down walls and floorboards in the Ball home in an attempt to find the money they think he hid somewhere because he did not trust banks.
       Ball and his wife, Norma, were murdered in their home-used furniture store last September and their murderers have never been found. Police speculated that the murder might have been motivated in part by the rumors that Ball kept all his money at home and distrusted banks.
       The search of the grounds, authorized by Wichita County Judge Calvin Ashley Thursday, was spurred by the discovery recently of $12,340 in a purse wrapped in plastic and hidden in one of the store's warehouses. The money was found by Jerry Schnedorf, trust officer for the First Wichita Natinal Bank.
       Schnedorf, in charge of the estate, is somewhat skeptical of the treasure hunt but feels it is necessary.
       "They probably won't find anything buried or hidden, but the search will remove a burden from the administration of the estate and allow us to go ahead and sell the property," Schnedorf said.
       The court order authorizing a "thorough search of the grounds" was issued by Wichita County Judge Calvin Ashley.
       Rewards of $500 each are posted in connection withthe murders by representatives of the estate.
       The court order allows all of the Balls' next of kin, and their "duly authorized representatives," to search the grounds between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
       Schnedorf said the $12,340 he found was under much debris under the rotted out bathroom of one of the storage buildings.

• Last Edited: 13 Nov 2012