Obituary of Celwyn P. Ball

Celwyn P. Ball, 93, passed away peacefully on March 30th, 2016, surrounded by his loving family. Born in London, England, Celwyn was the son of the late Fred and Dorothy (Martin) Ball. He is survived by his daughters Rosalind Bell (David Stitt) of Ottawa, Carolyn Keirstead (Wallace Keirstead) of Riverview and Alison Ball (Peter Hicks) of Almonte, Ontario; his grandchildren Ian and Heather Keirstead; and his beloved friend Norma Bannerman. He was predeceased by his wife Patricia (Cowan) Ball and his sister Kathleen (Ball) Scopes. In his youth, Celwyn enjoyed participating as a singer and soloist with cathedral choirs and as a band member in Salvation Army bands, in London. Celwyn joined the British Army in 1940 and saw active service working mainly in reconnaissance and intelligence services and with the armoured corps. He was stationed in North Africa and the Middle East. He was part of the security detail for several allied conferences. In Italy, he participated in the Battle of Anzio and entered Rome and the Vatican with the allied troops. At the end of the war, he was seconded to the Allied Control commission. Celwyn was decorated during the war and received the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After the war, Celwyn became a welder, a draftsman and an engineer. At Scaffolding Great Britain Ltd., he was the general foreman for the construction of the arches along the procession route of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. After emigrating to Canada, he had a successful career as an engineer in Hamilton, Ontario. He worked mainly at the Steel Company of Canada. His projects included the design and development of roads, new bridges, overhead cranes and large-scale mobile equipment. Celwyn was a member and a director of Canadian and international Sir Winston Churchill societies. His was an international expert on postage stamps related to Churchill and authored the "Churchill World Stamp Catalogue". He received the Blenheim Award, which recognizes those who have made a notable contribution to the memory of Churchill. Celwyn was a loving and caring husband, father, grandpa and friend. As a disabled veteran, he overcame many obstacles. He was naturally curious and inventive. He had a passion for international travel and cruise vacations. Visitation with the family, Saturday, April 2nd, 2016 from 2:00-4:00pm at Tuttle Brothers and Riverview Funeral Home, 214 Pine Glen Rd Riverview, NB. Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, April 3rd, 2016 at 2:00 pm at St. George’s Anglican Church, corner of Church and Queen St. Moncton. A Reception will be held immediately following the service in the hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Moncton Hospital or a charity of choice. Arrangements have been entrusted to Tuttle Brothers & Riverview Funeral Home 214 Pine Glen Rd. Riverview, NB (506) 857-9544 Online condolences can be made at www.tuttlefuneralhome.ca Visitation Information Saturday, April 2, 2016 2:00pm to 4:00pm Tuttle Brothers and Riverview Funeral Home, 214 Pine Glen Rd. Riverview, NB. Service Information Sunday, April 3, 2016 2:00pm St. George's Anglican Church, Corner of Queen and Church Streets Moncton, NB Burial Information Cremation has taken place at TBL Crematorium, 1100 Coverdale Rd. Riverview, NB Requested Charity Friends of the Moncton Hospital Foundation or charity of the donor's choice