Mary Ball: A Legacy of Excellence

The purpose of life is to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you lived and it's evident that Mary Ball is walking in her purpose. After 42 years of faithful service, Ball has retired from Bancorp South. At some point, Mary Ball, has touched the lives of everyone in the City of Lumberton. Her presence, caring, concern and graciousness is the common thread that has developed the beautiful tapestry of customer service at Bancorp South. For many of us, Mary Ball is the reason why we stayed with our local bank. Over the years, she has helped us open out bank accounts, balance our books, reminded us of events happening in Lumberton, helped with our deposits, withdrawals and sometimes an overdraft. After getting comforted by Mary Ball, the sting of an overdraft fee didn't hurt as much. We would take the hit and her advice to closely monitor our spending. Winston Churchill said that

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

After 42 years of tireless dedication, Mary Ball has given so much to the City of Lumberton. Despite her small stature, she stands as a giant in our community. She represented our community, our city with pure dignity and grace.

Mary Ball will be remembered as one of the great women of our time. She started working at Bancorp South, formerly known as the Bank of Mississippi, during a time when women of color were not readily accepted in most industries. Despite the many barriers, she excelled and managed to soar despite any obstacle. Those of us that frequented Bancorp South, witnessed the woman that knew everything. Whenever there was a problem the other workers looked to Mrs. Mary for answers, assistance and assurance that they were doing things correctly. Her presence represented and continues to represent the power of perseverance. I am almost certain that there were times when she wanted to give up but we would have never known because everytime we entered the doors of Bancorp South, Mrs. Mary was there with a big smile on her face and ready and willing to serve each patron with a spirit of excellence. Year after year, Mary would serve as the glue that held our community together. She didn't wait for circumstances to align with her goals and visions; she was a true mover and shaker but she didn't feel the need to boast about her accomplishments because they spoke for themselves. No matter when you say Mary, she was always radiant, elegant and true.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said

"...everyone can be great...because everyone can serve."

For 42 years, Mrs. Mary Ball served the community of Lumberton and we are thankful because she embodied a heart of service. Mary worked every day, leading a life of courage and dignity while managing to fulfil her role as wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, and friend to all. Even in retirement, Mary Ball continues to serve. She was recently elected at the President of the Lumberton Economic Development Council and I'm certain that she will serve with the same zeal she possessed during her 42 years at Bancorp South. Now that she has retired, Mary Ball has more time to spend with her husband, Larry Ball, and he children, Montoya Ball and Larry Ball, Jr. and her grandchildren. I marvel at Mary's strength, stamina and amazing spirit. She has a work ethic that is acknowledged and appreciated by all she encountered. Mary Ball is a beacon, a benchmark and a trailblazer and she is the embodiment of the power of love, family and community. Thank you for your service!