Shirley Perkins Ball

Shirley Perkins Ball, age 97, passed away on Sunday, February 23, 2025. He was the beloved husband of the late Barbara White Ball; loving father of Maggie Ball and her husband Larry Fask and Phillip Ball; cherished Pop-Pop of Aaron Donato; dear brother of the late Herbert W. Ball, Jr.; uncle of many nieces and nephews in Newfoundland, Canada.

A visitation for Shirley will be held Friday, February 28, 2025 at St Thomas Aquinas Church, 1008 W 37th St Baltimore, MD 21211 from 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM at which time a Mass of Christian Burial will take place. (A live stream will be available 5 minutes prior to the service starting) Interment to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery & Chapel 2130 Woodlawn Dr, Baltimore, MD 21207.

Please enter the St. Thomas Aquinas Church parking lot from the Roland Avenue entrance.

Shirley was born in Baltimore in 1927 to Herbert Walter Ball and Annie Estella Ball (nee Morrison). The family lived at 416 W. 28th Street until 1945 when Shirley was drafted into the U. S. Air Force and sent to Newfoundland, Canada to work at Harmon Air Force Base in Stephenville, where later, he met his future wife, Barbara White. Shirley and Barbara, along with their young daughter Maggie, were transferred to Utah for his last assignment prior to being discharged in 1952, after which, they returned to Baltimore to begin a new life together. They found a row-house in Medfield and some years later, that life included son Phillip to round out their dream.

Fresh out of the service, Shirl (as he came to be called), needed work and he found it at Domino Sugar slinging bags of sugar out of the ship's cargo hold...those smooth Air Force hands took a beating! Eventually Mechanic School introduced him to a lifetime career as a heavy equipment mechanic in the Domino Garage, He retired in 1992 having put in 40 years and the loss of one index finger to a very cranky forklift.

In 2003 they moved to Reisterstown as Barbara's health declined so that they could be near their daughter and grandson. His only Grandchild Aaron, son of Maggie and Larry, brought out the soft side in him and that grew over time creating a bond that will never be broken.

Shirl spent his time as a Boy Scout Leader and was deeply involved in his church, St. Thomas Aquinas in Hampden. He was an active member of the Holy Name Society and generously gave his time to raise thousands of dollars to support the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish where his efforts were celebrated by the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

He was a gentleman, kind, caring, a strong husband, father and father-in-law but was most importantly an over the top Pop-Pop.