Round, ball like object, red with yellow streaks moves over tree tops.

My sister and I were in the car one Wednesday night, while my mother went into a home to take food due to a death in the family.  We saw a round object moving above the tree line that was about one hundred yards off.  The object appeared to be lite from within. I was mainly red with yellow and white streaks.  The color was like looking at a light shining through the skin between your fingers. It moved at a steady pace across the top of the trees.  The color did not change and there were no changes or movement, just a round ball moving across the sky.
I have tried to find out the exact date of the sighting by looking up the date of death of the person who died (I think his name was Jimmy Isley).  But, I have not been able to locate this information.  I do know that I was around twelve or thirteen years old.  This would make it 1967 or 68. It was chilly but not cold.  So, it was probably either spring or fall.  The house was on Mt. Carmel Church Rd, about a fourth of a mile off Hwy 14 (now loop).  This is half way between Reidsville and Eden NC.
I have told this story for years to anyone who would listen. Some say it was a gas pocket from the creek some three or four miles away. I doubt this is the explanation. I am not sure what it was. But, it was strange and unforgettable.
Source of report indicates that the date of the incident is approximate.  PD