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William Clemence Codrington (Bill) Ball : 1923 – 2010
His full title was known to few but many knew of the deeds of 'Bill' Ball through his long years of quiet service to our community.
Bill and Marjorie came to Taplow to live in Cedar Chase in 1982. They especially enjoyed being part of the Cedar Chase 'family'. Bill served on the Residents' Society Management Committee including a year as Chairman. He and Marjorie were ever-ready when the call went out for help.
Within a very short time Bill was involved in local activities. He served on the Hitcham and Taplow Preservation Society Committee for 20 years, including a three-year term as Chairman. He was a Parish Councillor for many years, being Chairman of the General Purposes Committee until he decided it was time to pass the baton to the next generation.
Bill was the Chairman of the Buckinghamshire Association for the Blind (now renamed Bucks Vision) for 15 years and then was persuaded to continue to serve as the Chairman of the South East Division for a further 10 years. He was responsible for arranging a full calendar of days out and entertainments, for managing the maintenance and distribution of Radios and Talking Book Players, and for organising a programme of Shop Mobility excursions and Newspaper Reading events.
He was much admired by his close colleagues for his devotion to service to the Association for the Blind, and in recent years he was the principal and honoured guest at its Christmas Party.
After a career with the Engineering Division of Rank Film Processing, ending as the Chief Executive, Bill carried out a number of post-retirement consulting assignments in Germany and South Africa. His engineering know-how was called upon to design and to maintain the spit used to roast the ox at the annual Village Green Party.
Neighbours and friends joined the family for a celebration of Bill's life, opening with Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor, then a quiet reflection with What is Life sung by Kathleen Ferrier and a warm and touching memoir from grandson Simon, and closing with a rousing goodbye from Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.
A splendid tribute to the long life of a quiet stalwart always at work for the common good.
Karl Lawrence