Sad news...

My mom passed away on June 27, 2016.  It seems odd to type that.  Below is her obituary. 

 

Mary Ellen Ball, 69, of Cave Creek, Arizona, passed away unexpectedly June 27th, 2016 at her home after a sudden illness.

Mary was born July 29th, 1946 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  She was a 1964 graduate of Holy Angels Academy.  In 1967, she married and over the next eleven years spent time in Colorado, California, and West Virginia before finally settling in Brookfield, Wisconsin in 1978.   She was the original “soccer mom,” running kids around to soccer, basketball, and softball games in a vintage 80’s station wagon.  Every summer, she grew vegetables in an extensive backyard garden and was especially successful with zucchini that she made into delicious bread.   After raising her kids as a stay-at-home mom, she returned to school to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Mount Mary College and spent several years teaching special-needs children.  She held many other jobs, but teaching was her true passion.  She loved animals and spending time with her family, friends, and especially her grandchildren.  She was an intelligent and strong-willed woman who we will remember for the happy times we shared with her.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Kathryn and Edward Hulick, and sister, Catherine Kettering. 

Mary is survived by three children:   Kelly (Todd) Linskey of Camarillo, CA; Kevin Ball of Pewaukee, WI; and Brian (Tarra) Ball of Germantown WI.   She is also survived by her seven beloved grandchildren:  Amanda, Julia, Allison, Matthew, Chase, Ella, and Alaina; brother, Tom (Mary) Hulick of Castleton on Hudson, NY; sister, Anne (Jack) Ross of Cave Creek, AZ and Cheyenne, WY; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, and friends.

A memorial gathering will be held at the Funeral Home on Friday, July 22nd, 2016 from 11 AM until the time of memorial service at 1 PM.  Interment will follow the service at Calvary Cemetery, 5503 West Blue Mound Road, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53208. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s name may be made to her favorite charitable organizations:  Catholic Charities (catholiccharitiesusa.org ),  the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (www.hdsawi.org), and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (www.alzfdn.org ).