Alex Dan Ball departed this world in which we live and love on July 30, 2013 for a new life, an eternal life with Jesus his savior as he promised early in life. He was born on June 16, 1924 to Christian parents, Alex Monroe Ball and Leona Virginia Byrd Ball in Greene County, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by four sisters: Beatrice (Mrs. Melvin) Turner; Flurry (Mrs. Elgin) Turner; Iva (Mrs. Fletcher) Jackson; Wynema (Mrs. Woodson) Moffett and two brothers, Paul and Lamar. He was the youngest sibling. He is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth Caldwell Ball; two sons: Alexander (Andy) Ball of Vail, Colorado; Daniel Huff (Danny) Ball and his wife, Emma Knee Ball; grandson Edward Daniel (Ned) Ball, granddaughters Rose and Kate Ball, all of Columbus, Ohio; and daughter Mary Elizabeth "Molly" Ball Schroeder and her husband Scott, and grandson Tristan Alexander Schroeder, of Divide, Colorado.

From the time of his birth he lived in a Christian environment through the care and guidance of Christian parents. At the age of twelve, he made a public statement of acceptance of Jesus as his Savior and joined in fellowship with Unity Baptist Church, Greene County, Mississippi and was baptized. He worshiped in this church until he went away to pursue a higher education. He entered Jones County Junior College, Ellisville, Mississippi in June 1941. He gladly worked in a hosiery mill making ladies hose. He worked 36 hours a week for room and board plus $4.00 and finished two years before volunteering for military duty because of World War II.

After seventeen weeks basic training, he went to the European Theatre of Operations. In Normandy, France, he was assigned to the Second Infantry under General George S. Patton. He fought in five major battle campaigns: Normandy, Central Europe, The Ardennes, Battle of the Bulge, and Germany. He was in the second assault boat crossing the Rhine River into Germany where he barely escaped being taken prisoner when the enemy counter attacked that night. He proceeded through Germany into Czechoslovakia and the war ended. He was awarded the Bronze Star for gallantry. Through his prayers and the prayers of his church and family, he came home unharmed. "God is Great!"

In 1946 he entered Mississippi Southern University for one year, then transferred to the University of Mississippi to pursue a degree in pharmacy. He received his pharmacy license in 1951. He practiced in State Line, Mississippi and Laurel, Mississippi, and operated Ball Drug Store in Ellisville, Mississippi until 1958, then became manager of Thrifty Walgreen Agency Drugs in Meridian, Mississippi, until late 1960. During that time he met and married the love of his life, Elizabeth (Libby) Caldwell on June 4, 1960 in Malvern. She is the daughter of the late Zerah and Hattie Huff Caldwell.

Later that year they moved to Malvern to join Libby's parents in Caldwell Hardware and Furniture. Alex loved his profession so much he purchased the oldest drugstore in Malvern (Murry's) and moved it into the Caldwell Building and later purchased Cole-Fuller Drug Store and moved it into Caldwell Hardware, Furniture and Drug.

Having been with the Walgreen Agency Division for twenty-four years, he liquidated the business in 1982 and worked for the Walgreen Company until October 2011, retiring at age 87. He honored his profession and loved every minute of his 61 years as well as the patients he served. Throughout his life, he would say "When my life here is over and I can say I have treated my fellowman right, my life will have been successful." He definitely achieved that. Alex was not just a gentleman, he was a Gentle Man.

He was past president of the Malvern Lions Club, a Son of the American Revolution, a member of the Malvern City Cemetery Committee, and was a member of First Baptist Church.

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See cenotaph location here.