UA historian dies at 78

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Phyllis Ball, UA alumna and historian

Ball published a book, A Photographic History of the University, 1885-1985, at her own expense in 1986. The book is held in the University of Arizona Main Library's Special Collections section, which Ball helped build in 1958.

"She did the definitive photographic collection of the university," said Sharon Kha, associate vice president for commu-nication. "It's the only book of that sort that exists."

Before her retirement in 1986, Ball worked in the University History, Manuscript and Archives section of the library and wrote a column called "Scrapbook" for Lo Que Pasa, the UA faculty and staff newspaper.

Dianne Bret Harte, a retired 10-year editor of Lo Que Pasa and friend of Ball, said she used Ball's book often during her tenure at the newspaper.

"Tradition mattered a lot to her," Bret Harte said. "Her love for the university attracted me to her."

Bret Harte described Ball as "always having a smile in her voice."

Ball was born July 31, 1920, in Philadelphia. She moved to Tucson in 1928 but had no family in the area.

After graduating from the UA in 1943 with a bachelor's degree in English, Ball joined the library in 1944.

She collected state and municipal docu-ments in addition to UA-related materials.

When the new library was built in 1973, former UA President John Schaefer asked Ball to speak at the groundbreaking ceremony. She was honored numerous times since that ceremony, including a 1977 Tucson Pima Historical Commission award and the 1997 Alumni Centennial Award.

"Up to two days before she died, people from Special Collections were calling her for information and advice," said James Sinski, a retired UA microbiology professor and Ball's friend. "She was quite a character."

Ball was a member of organizations including the American Literary Association, the Arizona State Library Association, the American Association of University Professors and the Arizona Historical Society.

Ball is survived by her longtime companion, Patricia Paylore, a Tucson resident, and a niece, Carolyn Axt, of Atlanta.

Hospital officials could not confirm Ball's cause of death. At her request, a funeral will not be held.

David J. Cieslak can be reached via e-mail at David.J.Cieslak@wildcat.arizona.edu.