PALMYRA – Madeline “Tillie” Barker Ball passed away quietly Jan. 12, 2012, after a brief illness at her winter home in Brooksville, Fla. Tillie was born July 16, 1921, on the Barker family farm on the Wiley Road, Littleton. Tillie was one of three daughters, Madeline, Arlene and Muriel, born to Guy and Maude (Stanlake) Barker.
Tillie graduated from Ricker Classical Institute, Houlton, and Eastern Maine General Hospital School of Nursing, Bangor. Tillie met her husband of 65 years, Willard J. “Buddy” Ball, who was born in 1917 and died in 2011, when Bud was stationed at Dow Air Force Base, Bangor, near the end of World War II. Bud and Til moved to Pittsfield/Palmyra, after the war and raised three boys on a farm in Palmyra. When not fully engaged in raising three boys, Tillie was employed as a staff nurse and nursing supervisor at Scott Webb Memorial Hospital, Hartland. She was also school nurse in Pittsfield and a visiting nurse for Kennebec Regional Health Agency. Later Til was a staff nurse at Sebasticook Valley Health Facility and Sanfield Nursing Home. She was a volunteer at Sebasticook Valley Hospital and assisted in starting the Pet Therapy program that continues to this day. Til was a member and past president of the R.N. Club and the former Players Club. Til was always proud of being a “county girl” and her strong sense of human values evolved from that upbringing. She leaves her family with a legacy of personal strength, ability and strong values.
Tillie is survived by her sister, Arlene; three sons, William, Gregory and Lary; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial gathering of friends and family will be held in the summer. Donations, in lieu of flowers, would be appreciated and may be sent to Sebasticook Valley Hospital Pathway to Health Project, care of Philanthropy Office, 447 North Main St., Pittsfield, ME 04967. Arrangements are by Crosby & Neal, Newport. Those who wish may leave written condolences at
www.CrosbyNeal.com.