Mary Ann Ballard

Mary Ann Dixon-Ballard was born Tuesday, June 29th, 1948. She came from humble beginnings, her first home being Hackett’s Camp in Fresno, CA. She was born to Mary Ethel Colbert and Thurman Dixon Sr., and was the second of nine children. Beginning at the age of seven, Mary Ann lived with and was raised by her paternal grandmother, Mollie Williams.

As a child, Mary Ann attended Orange Center Elementary School, where she enjoyed kickball, basketball, and track. She went on to attend Irwin Junior High and Edison High School. In her 20’s, she attended Galen Medical College and soon began working as a school nurse for Fresno Unified. In 1973, she started her career at Fresno Community Hospital in the cardiology department, working as a monitor technician and later as a secretary. She retired after 20 years. Mary Ann had an entrepreneurial spirit, and in 1992, started her own daycare. After running a successful daycare, she became the co-owner of the O’Neil Residential Care Facility, which cared for adults with special needs.

In 2006, at the age of 57, Mary Ann moved to Southaven, Mississippi. It was there that she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but it was also where she found her calling. As a member of Brown Missionary Baptist Church, she recognized a need, and became one of the first 20 members of the church’s Cancer Support Ministry in 2009. She worked side-by-side with the founders, helping cancer survivors find resources for treatment, support, and reconstructive surgery after illness. Mary Ann shocked people by saying cancer was the best thing to ever happen to her, and explained that through her suffering, she found her calling in caring for others.

Upon returning to Fresno in 2013, Mary Ann continued serving as a voice for the sickly. She used her medical knowledge and experience to advocate on behalf of patients. She opened her home to adults with special needs and lovingly cared for her own sister, the late Val.

Mary Ann was known for her flawless style. She loved to shop, shoes being her favorite. Her style was the first thing people noticed about her, aside from her beautiful smile. However, that didn’t mean she wasn’t down-to-earth. She enjoyed movies, cooking, baking, traveling, reading, hiking, interior decorating, and most of all, gardening. She truly had a green thumb and was a master at landscaping.