Ida Elizabeth Ball
1929 - 2014


The service of celebration for the life of Ida Ball was held at The Downs Crematorium, Brighton on December 30th 2014.

The following is a collection of the tributes and family memories shared during the service. If you would like to add something to the website, please email Contact@InMemoryOfIda.co.uk.

Please click the button on the right to begin

Eulogy

Ida was born in London in 1929 a second daughter to Ida and Fred Westley. Her elder sister Rhoda was two years older but was very sadly taken at the young age of 30.

When Ida was 4 she started York Road school in Islington, not long after this the family moved to Hove where Freda was born in 1936. Ida then attended Ellen Street School and then the Knoll School in Old Shoreham Road.

During the war when Ida was about 12 years old Fred decided it would be safer to move the family to Grennock in Scotland to stay with friends. He was worried about the bombing in London and the south coast and thought they would be safer up there. Unfortunately this didn't prove to be the case as the local sugar factory got bombed and the house they were staying in was hit too. So back to Hove they went.

After living in Conway Street Hove, Ida and Fred bought the bungalow at Summerdale Road in Hangleton where, in 1947, fourth and youngest daughter Patricia was born.

At the age of 14, Ida first set eyes on her husband to be, Dennis, at a dance at the Dome. They met again four years later in Brighton at a dance at the Aquarium when Dennis was on leave from the army, but they didn't actually start courting until a year later when Ida was 19.

At the age of 20 Ida married Dennis at St. Helens Church, Hangleton and in August this year they celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary.

The following year whilst living at Dennis' Auntie Pat's in Bates Road they were blessed with their first child Jacqueline. After this they moved to Lewes Road then onto a flat in Sussex Square, followed by a move to Stanstead Crescent, Woodingdean, after which they bought the bungalow in Falmer Road where youngest son Dennis was born in 1962. After about 28 years in Woodingdean, Ida and Dennis bought their current bungalow in Marine Avenue, Hove.

Ida had many jobs throughout her life, after leaving school she went to work selling sewing machines for Singer in Western Road. When Jacqueline was young she worked for Sainsburys. She also worked for Kaiser Bonder as a machinist, in the cafe at Woolworths, and in a dress shop in Preston Street. When the family moved to Woodingdean Ida worked for many years in the laundry room at Sunblest Bakery where she worked alongside her lifelong friend Pam Scriven. Her last job before she retired was at the Feedwell Cafe in Hove, a job she loved.

Ida and Dennis enjoyed yearly holidays in the sun throughout the years and although Ida loved the beach, after many failed attempts, she never learned to swim.

Ida was a people person and always enjoyed company, as well as her family she loved to spend time with her many friends including, Ray and Judy, Maggie and Ernie, John & Mary to name but a few.

Ida loved her family and loved to keep up with everyone's news, her two children, Jackie and Dennis, her grandchildren, Joanna, Daniel, Liam and Laure her great-grandchildren Lorne, Harley, Oliver and Alfie and Great-Great Grandchildren Scarlett and Brooke, her surviving sisters, Freda and Patricia and their partners and many nieces and nephews. She also loved crosswords, her garden, shopping and fashion but most of all Ida loved a bit of a do and her family hope everybody will come back and raise a glass to her at Hollingbury Golf Course after the ceremony.

Dennis Senior

To my darling wife, I would like to thank you for the happiest 64 years of my life with you and although you are not here, our love remains, and I see you still in my dreams. Love Dad

Jackie

Not one moment was special, every moment was special with my Mum. Love you always, Jackie

Dennis Junior

Thank you for being my Mum. Through all the naughty moments you endured, from playing skittles with your best china to ruining your new white wool carpet by spilling black dye on it and then trying to cut it out leaving a big hole! Your love always showed through and you were never angry for long.

I am so pleased and honoured to have been able to call you Mum and I will always miss your love and kindness, but I know you will always be with me and my family. You were a special lady.

God bless Mum, love you

Freda

Ida, my big sister, so I've never known her not to be in my life. Her and Rhoda were older than me, but that never really mattered, as time went on we were great friends as well as sisters and were lucky enough to have Patricia come along later.

We never had a cross word, so no regrets, only happy memories. Always glamerous from a teenager, which, I remember, made a huge impression on my school pals when she came to an open day just before I left school and which she continued to be wherever she went as I'm sure you all remember.

We have been very lucky to have spent lots of good times together with old friends for many years and enjoy the great family Christmas together at 560 Falmer Road, which Ida and Den made possible. She always put family first so we must all be grateful to have had such a loving and kind lady with us for the years we did.

Joanna

We all knew that this time would be upon us, but what I wasn't expecting was just how much it would hurt. The outbursts of tears from nowhere, or the immediate noticeable impact of your absence.

How can I pick just one special memory from forty odd years worth? I can't. Instead I would just like to say how glad I am that you were my Nan and I hope that you knew just how much we all love and miss you. Sleep tight and a big hug and kiss

Laure

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. You were the softest, most generous, caring and beautiful Nan I could ever have asked for and I feel blessed to be able to call you that.

You taught me so much and I will carry those lessons along with your memory with me forever. Gone from our touch but never our hearts.

I will love you forever, Nan

Christine

Trying to think of a single stand out memory of Ida was so hard, there have been many memories over the 32 years I have been lucky enough to be part of her family, so here are a few words that come to mind when I think of her.

Gin & Tonic... Photographs... Wallpaper (Falmer Road)... Sunbathing... Stories... Parties... Crosswords... Shopping... Roses... Kind... Accepting and especially towards the end Brave and Courageous.

It was a pleasure to know you and you will never ever leave us.

Ray

I would like to thank you Auntie Ida for all the wonderful memories and good fun times you and Uncle Den gave to me as a child. Through mine and Sheila's teenage years and later in life for me and all my girls. You were always so supportive of what I done in life as you were for all of our large family, there for any of us with your wonderful outlook on life. You were always so brave, cheerful and positive.

We will miss you forever and never forget you my lovely Auntie, love you lots G.N. G.B. That's good night, god bless.

Poem read by Oliver Duncan

A wife, a mother, a grandma too, this is the legacy we have from you.

You taught us love and how to fight, you gave us strength, you gave us might.

A stronger person would be hard to find, and in your heart, you were always kind.

You fought for us all in one way or another, not just as a wife not just as a mother.

For all of us you gave your best, now the time has come for you to rest.

So go in peace, you've earned your sleep, your love in our hearts we'll eternally keep.

Music

Patricia's Poem

Sitting by her dressing table
As she did her makeup
The special face she pulled
Putting on lipstick.

Rollers, backcombing ,Elnett
Stillettos and floral cocktail dresses,
London and Shirley Bassey
My lovely glamorous sister.

Treats: huge cream cakes
Never seen at home.
My first trip to a Wimpy bar and first grown up dress
From a posh shop in North Street.

5B and number 2 buses
Changing at the Royal Pavilion
For Woodingdean, watching
The fountains change colour.

Sunday a time for family . Always welcome.
Coming home in the Austin Sheerline
Along the seafront
Terrified we would of go over the cliff .

Advocaat and Christmas dinners
Round the big billiard table.
Cards, especially Pontooon
Excited when I was allowed to keep what I won.

Stylish modern units, thick white carpet ,
Big bold patterned wallpaper
Few could pull off .
I know I tried but only the once.

Moving to Hove
New job, new garden,
New neighbours
To chat to over the fence.

Looking after Mum.

Thursdays and the grandchildren
Pushchairs, pubs, playgrounds,
The Lagoon,National Trust gardens.
Tunbridge Wells and Hotel du Vin.

Lots of shopping in Brighton
80 plus and still wearing heels.
A final visit to Dresswells
Before it closed down.

Chatting with the sales ladies
"I don't believe it
You can't be that old,
And you still have so much hair."

My lovely glamorous sister.

An inspiration to us all,
So brave, so strong,
Always loving and caring.
Always there. We miss you.

God Bless

Photos