Margaret Ball passed away peacefully on Thursday October 15, 2020 surrounded by the love of her family.
Born in Snover, Michigan on May 7, 1937 to Norma and Fred Hirsch, Margaret spent her youth in the Thumb. Active in 4H and the marching band, Margaret was most known for her skills as a majorette and passion for roller-skating. After graduation from Sandusky High School, Margaret attended what was then Bay City Junior College earning her Associates Degree. She began a long history of work positions utilizing not only her training but her vivacious personality, allowing her to interact with and establish relationships with all she met. This included everything from a secretarial position with Gulf Oil, to waitressing, to working at the Frankenmuth RV park, and manning the general store at Winter Village, her final residence.
On October 18, 1958 Margaret married the love of her life, G. Charles Ball, after a short courtship. She was devoted to her husband and to his ministry as pastor in the United Methodist Church at Adamsville, Grand Rapids, Caro, Onaway, and Frankenmuth. They began their family with the birth of their two sons in Elkhart, Indiana and two daughters in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A devoted wife and mother and fierce defender of her family, she loved to be involved in the activities of her children and grandchildren, never missing an athletic event or band concert. Her love of sports went far beyond that in which her family was involved; it was rare that she did not have the television tuned in to sport. But nothing captured her passion quite like her beloved Pittsburgh Steelers. And her own prowess, not to mention competitiveness, in the sport of bowling was developed over many decades, the pinnacle being a 297 bowled in the lanes of Roger City.
Margaret’s nurturing and caring personality meant that she was not only devoted to her husband and own children but to friends of her children, becoming a second mother to many. Everyone she met became more than a simple acquaintance, they became cherished friends. If you knew Margaret, you most likely loved her.
Surviving Margaret are her husband Chuck, 3 days shy of 62 years of marriage; her children Mark (Heide) of Bay City, Tom (Lori) of Dewitt, Kimberly (Mike) Ahrens of Ann Arbor, and Karen (Patrick Furlong) of Alma; her sister Carolyn (Jack) Schroeder of Plymouth and niece Kathy Schroeder of Plymouth; grandchildren Carly Ahrens of Chelsea, Eric (Becky) Ball of Bay City, Nicole (Chris) Herremans of Whitehall, Hayden Ahrens of Canton, Zachary Ball of East Lansing, and Tony Ball of Frankenmuth; and great-grandchildren Lillian and Jacob Ball and Charles Herremans.
Memorial services were held earlier this month with Rev. Ryan Wenburg officiating. According to Margaret’s wishes, cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers please consider memorials to Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation www.pkdcure.org or the Frankenmuth United Methodist Church, 346 Vates St., Frankenmuth, MI 48734. Arrangements entrusted to Cederberg Funeral Home of Frankenmuth, 590 N. Franklin St.
Condolences may be sent to Rev. G. Charles Ball, 255 Mayer Rd., Apt. 375 Loehe, Frankenmuth, MI 48734.
Last Updated on November 6, 2020