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In Tribute To Ann
Ball
By Susan Griswold
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Ann Bolton Ball
May 4, 1944
to June 8, 2008
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On May 14, 1944 a bouncing baby girl was born. She would be adopted by Julian and Ora Bolton shortly after her birth. Julian and Ora would name her Ann Bolton. Ann grew up in a loving home in Jacksonville, Texas. As a child, Ann loved to read and write, a trait that she would carry throughout her life.
Ann had a passion for research. Curiosity into how the world worked drove to her to expand her knowledge continuously. As a young woman, Ann wanted to be an FBI agent. At the time, a female entering the service of the FBI was next to unheard of. This desire would later translate into the security and private investigations business.
After high school, Ann attended Lon Morris Jr. College in Jacksonville. She would continue her studies at the University of Texas, where she majored in journalism and English. During her summer breaks, Ann held a variety of part time jobs, from nurse’s aid, to secretary, and even newspaper reporter.
While attending UT, Ann met Eldon Ball. Eldon and Ann wed on July 18, 1964. Ann began teaching at the St. Louis School in Austin, and Eldon joined the United States Navy. In 1965, the Navy took them to Corpus Christi, Texas. Ann continued teaching in Corpus for another two years until they were transferred to California in 1967.
On July 18, 1967, Ann gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Joanna. Ann was a substitute teacher from 1967 to 1970. Ann’s husband fulfilled his obligation with the United States Navy and they headed back to Texas, settling in Houston.
Ann went back to school and graduated in 1973 from the University of Houston, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Education. On Feb. 21, 1973, Ann gave birth to their second child, Samuel. Ann remained a stay-at-home mom until 1977, when she started teaching seventh and eighth grade at St. Thomas More School. In 1978, she transferred to Corpus Christi Catholic School as a substitute teacher for two years. In 1980, she began teaching high school students at Marian Christian High School.
In 1980, Ann met Marvin Herman, who was a coach at Marian. After getting to know Marvin, she realized that she had recently read a book about his life called
The Shadow. Marvin Herman owned M.Herman & Associates, also known as Shadow Security. Marvin was a licensed private investigator.
Ann went to work for Marvin part time to learn the private investigations business. Later that year, Marvin introduced Ann to Chief Louis Adams, owner of All State Guard Services. Ann started working for Adams in June 1981 as a part-time secretary.
Ann became a member of ASSIST in 1981 at the direction of Chief Adams. In 1982, Ann attended a security officer commission class. Ann was elected to the state board of ASSIST in 1984 as state secretary, and continued in that role until 1988. In 1985, Ann left her teaching career behind and joined All State Guard Service full time. In January 1986,
Ann was asked by ASSIST State President Herb Kelpin and her employer Chief Adams to assist in creating a newsletter for the association – hence, the ASSIST Update was
born. In 1992, Ann bought out Chief Adams and became sole owner of All State Guard Service. Ann continued as newsletter editor until 1995.
Ann worked to establish and become one of the first members of the liaison committee between the Houston Police Department and the local security industry.
Ann was one of the key members of ASSIST that was called upon to meet with the Texas state comptroller to evaluate the Texas security industry and establish guidelines for taxation under the 1987 legislation. Also in 1987, the Louisiana Board of Private Security Examiners called upon Ann to help develop their curriculum for unarmed security officer training.
Though not everyone knew, Ann was an accomplished author as well. In 1983, Ann wrote and had published her first book,
Modern Saints, Their Lives and Faces. Today Ann has more than 30 books published, as well as numerous articles for many publications. Ann also wrote several training classes for the Houston Police Department training academy.
In 1997, Ann was elected president of the Houston Chapter (which today is known as the Gulf Coast Region) and served until 1999. Ann served as executive vice president from 1999 to 2001. Ann served on the Gulf Coast Region Board as parliamentarian from 2001 to 2008. In 2002 and again in 2005, she was awarded the ASSIST President’s Award, the organization’s highest annual honor. In 2007, she was awarded the ASSIST Lifetime Membership award, our single most prestigious award.
In 2005, Ann created a program for security officer recognition called the Above and Beyond Award. This program was designed to recognize the officers in the security profession for their loyalty as well as their efforts to make Houston a safer place. Today, this program will be implemented statewide so that all Texas security officers can be recognized for the importance of the security profession.
The Ann Ball Above and Beyond Award will continue Ann’s beliefs in the importance of our industry.
If anyone in the industry ever needed anything, you knew you could pick up the phone and call Ann. She was always there with whatever information was needed. If you needed continuing education credits, she would teach them herself or tell you where you could go to get them. If you had a question about the laws governing security, all you had to do was pick up the phone. Ann was always willing to put everyone before herself. She was instrumental in the success of the Fallen Officer Fund BBQ fundraisers the Gulf Coast Region has hosted for the past three years. You could always find Ann manning the table to collect your money and make sure that all went well.
Ann was very active in her community and with the Catholic diocesan. I can remember many years ago, Ann invited my family and me to an Easter egg coloring party. When I walked in to her office on Shepherd, she had tables set up in every room, and people were everywhere. They were coloring or filling Easter eggs for children at Casa Juan Diego. Ann would constantly have people getting together at special times of the year to help the less fortunate – or even the fortunate, for that matter.
On June 8, 2008, Ann Ball suffered a massive heart attack that took her from us. Ann had a million little ticks and personality quirks that made her truly a unique and wonderful person. She was, without a doubt, the most selfless person I have ever had the fortune of meeting. She will be greatly missed as my friend as well as my colleague.
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