Mildred (Manning) Ballou (90) of P & East 5th Street, South Boston passed away peacefully on Sunday December 17th, 2017. There was a funeral Mass held for her on Tuesday January 9th 2018 at Gate of Heaven Church in South Boston. Mildred was born in the house at 228 E. Street, South Boston on July 10th 1927. She was baptized in St. Augustine’s Church, on Dorchester St. She grew up on E & West Second St. She graduated from South Boston High School in 1945. She worked for the John Hancock life insurance company as a clerk in the medical division.
Mildred was the recipient of several outstanding awards through the years for her great work for the company. She was like a second Mother to many of her co- workers, and also to many of the kids in her South Boston neighborhood. She retired from there in 1987.
Mildred’s passion was for her music. She sang in the choir and at weddings and also taught Sunday school at St Christopher’s Church in Columbia Point. She also sang and preformed in the Florence Rogers and Castle Island Association Minstrel and variety shows.
Mildred was a loyal daughter of South Boston. She loved singing “Southie is my home town” on St Patrick’s Day, sledding down G St, swimming at Carson beach, riding her bike around Castle Island, pitching a softball and bowling for her South Boston teams. Seeing a show in Blinstrub’s or at the Broadway Theater, walking, shopping and having lunch in Brigham’s on her old West Broadway and going to Sunday mass. As a Faithful Parishioner at her beloved St Vincent’s church on E St where she was married to a Southie guy in 1952. Mildred was so proud of her family, friends and people of South Boston, who served, fought and died for their country in World War 2 and the Korean and Vietnam wars and she was also proud of the people of Southie who were instrumental in erecting the Great South Boston war memorials that now have our veteran’s names engraved on them for their sacrifice, honor and memory. “To which”, many of them were her family and friends she grew up with in their beloved Southie.
Mildred’s greatest pride and joy was her family get togethers on the holidays and birthdays and watching her Daddy boxing in the ring and her sons playing street hockey. Mildred’s greatest love was being a mother taking care of her children. Mildred was a beautiful, loving and caring mother friend and person all of her life to everyone who knew, loved and adored her. Mildred was a testament to motherhood and to womankind. A new P & 5th shamrock was painted on the corner of P & EAST fifth ST on St. Patricks’ day this year in the her honor, in her beloved Southie.
Mildred was laid to rest in the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester, Ma.
Mildred was the proud and devoted daughter of the late James “Jimmy The Kid” manning, as he was known all through out Southie who was a amateur and professional boxer during the 19-teens, 20’s & 30’s from west second St South Boston, and of the late Alice (Doran) Manning of South Boston. She was the sister of the late Joseph Edward Manning of South Boston. Mildred was the beloved Mother of the late William and Kevin Ballou of South Boston. Mildred is survived by her sons Timothy Lee and Paul Ballou of South Boston.