Melhorn "Buck" Ball decided before his death to donate his body to science, thinking it could help researchers in their study of cancer, relatives said.
Ball battled brain cancer for more than 12 years. He died of complications Saturday. He was 61.
"He had accepted the Lord in his life and made peace with all his family," said Theresa Breland, one of Ball's two children.
"He chose not to have chemo or other treatment," Breland said. "He made the decision to donate his body to science about six months ago, hoping maybe some good could come out of it."
Ball worked for Bond Paving Company before he was diagnosed with brain tumors in 1996.
"Because he was unable to work, he was able to enjoy fatherhood in a way he wasn't able to when me and my brother were growing up," Breland said. "Times were hard back then and we didn't get to spend much time with him. He was able to be like a father to my brother's children, being a part of their lives every day."
Breland's brother, Brian Ball, is the father of boys ages 8 and 6.
"They kept daddy going the past couple of years," Breland said.
Breland described her father as kind and non-judgmental.
Ball's survivors include his wife, Mary.
His body was donated to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Visitation will be held today at Lizana Baptist Church from noon until the beginning of a memorial service at 5 p.m. To see more of The Sun Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sunherald.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2009, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.