May 16, 2017

Linn County News
Published May 17, 2017

Shirley Marie Bruner Ball of Garnett, Kan., was born Aug. 9, 1941, on the family farm near Xenia, Kan., and passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 10, 2017, at the age of 75. She was the seventh of 10 children born to Walter Eberlee Bruner and Agnes Mackie Bruner.
Her life was shaped by a large farming family and surrounding neighbors in Mud Hollow. She attended grade school through eighth grade at Mapleton and went on to graduate from Blue Mound High School in 1959. She loved her big family and growing up with eight siblings helped develop her love of competition. As a young girl, Shirley enjoyed reading, basketball, softball and swimming. She learned to work hard on the farm as a child and was dedicated to her work as an adult. After high school, she worked for two years in Fort Scott at Western Insurance.
She was united in marriage to Carrol Ball in 1962. During this time in her life she also worked hard at building a business with Carrol, raising sheep, which she loved so much, and raising three children. This marriage ended in divorce in 1969.
She went to work at the Parker Sewing Factory and later at the Sherwood Inn and Restaurant in Garnett, where she loved her co-workers and customers. She was a huge Perry Mason and Elvis fan, and loved listening to the radio and playing cards and Yahtzee! In retirement, Shirley enjoyed traveling and fishing.
Shirley leaves behind her son, Jonnie Lee Ball of Kansas City, Kan.; her son, Lonnie Carrol Ball and wife Melanie of Olathe, Kan.; daughter Juanita Joann Peine and husband Bob of Parker, Kan.; and companion Clifford Wells of Garnett. She is also survived by her brother, Willard Bruner and wife Darla of Fort Scott, Kan.; her sisters, Venita Miller of Kincaid, Kan., and Marilyn Bruner of Fort Scott; sister in-law Freda Bruner of Mound City, Kan.; many nieces and nephews; and her grandsons, Lee, Damon and Donovan Ball, and Trint, Justin and Chaylin Peine.
She was preceded in death by her parents; infant sister Mary; sisters Lorraine Wilcox and husband W.H. Wilcox, Leora Ross and husband Keith Ross, and Pauline Seitz; brothers Virgil Bruner and Joseph Bruner; nephews Raymond Badders and Virgil Miller; and niece Vicki Bruner.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, May 16, 2017, at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, Garnett, with burial following in the Sunny Slope Cemetery in Blue Mound, Kan.
Memorial contributions may be left to Prairie Paws Rescue in care of Feuerborn Family Funeral Home. You may send your condolences to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.