Diane A. Ball, a resident of Bethany Lutheran Village in Dayton, Ohio, and formerly of Miamisburg and Oakwood, Ohio, and the Vineyard, died Wednesday, April 1. She was 76.

She was born in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Sept. 4, 1932, to the late William (Archie) and Mary (Louise) Altman. She was the librarian at Oakwood Junior and Senior High School for 19 years, retiring in 1987. She was a past president of the Ohio Association of School Librarians, and co-founder of the Southwestern Ohio Young Adult Materials for the Ohio Department of Education Inc.

In 1983 she received an award of merit from the Ohio Educational Library Media Association, and was listed in Who’s Who in the Midwest and American Women. She and her husband moved to the Vineyard in 1994 and spent 14 years enjoying their retirement, returning to Centerville in 2007.

Diane loved to knit, paint watercolors, was an avid bridge player, was active in her church knitting group and was a lover of books.

She is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Richard Ball; her son, David Ball of Dayton, Ohio; her daughter Anne Alford of Alexandria, Va.; four grandchildren, Diane (Andrew) Croce, Eli Alford Jr., Lindsay (Jason) Ramspott and Jordan Ball; her great-grandson Walker Ramspott; her sister, Kay (Jim) Clawson of Caryville, Tenn.; her brother Bill Altman of Hendersonville, N.C.; her sister in law Shirley Brockman of Miamisburg, Ohio; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. (one hour prior to the service), on Saturday, April 4, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Kettering, Ohio. A memorial service will follow with the Rev. Thomas D. Prochaska officiating.

Interment will be private for the family at David’s Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church or to the American Lung Association, 4050 Executive Dr., Suite 402, Cincinnati, OH 45281.

Arrangements are under the care of the Dalton Funeral Home in Germantown, Ohio.