Alina Y. Ball

Alina Yvonne Ball, of Indianapolis, Indiana, passed away on October 24, 2026, in Indianapolis.

Born on January 19, 1951, in Louisville, Kentucky, Alina was the daughter of Roy E. Holland Sr. and Marie Louise (Marshall) Holland. Her family moved to Indianapolis when she was very young, and it became the foundation of her early life.

Alina grew up alongside her siblings: Evelyn Vonee George (D), Michael Ray Bumpus (D), Linda Pamela Marie Simms (Thomas (D), Victoria L. Plahitko (Jim), and Roy E. Holland II (Peggy). She had four generations of nieces and nephews. She also had four step-siblings: Betty Fontenot, Wanda Gonzales, Gary Bumpus, and Christine Waller (D), with whom she shared a lifelong loving connection. She was preceded in death by her parents, two siblings, one stepsibling, and her husband, Gregory Ball.

Alina’s greatest joys were her eight beloved Pugs — her “children,” as she lovingly called them. Many knew her affectionately as “The Pug Lady,” a name that perfectly captured her devotion to the breed and the joy she found in caring for them.

A graduate of Emmerich Manual High School, Class of 1968, Alina continued her education at Central Nine Vocational Technical School in Greenwood, focusing on Business Administration, and later at Bowling Green Technical College in Kentucky, where she studied computer technologies.

Throughout her adult life, Alina lived in several states, following opportunities in the food service industry. Her work took her wherever she was needed, and she embraced each new place with independence and resilience.

Alina devoted more than four decades to the food service profession, holding leadership roles across a wide range of environments — including schools, assisted living facilities, correctional institutions, corporate dining, and major industrial facilities.

Her early career included seven years with Marriott at the Tampa International Airport, where she managed fast-food and beverage operations across three concourses and supported the José Gasparilla Restaurant and Terrace Buffet. She later served as Assistant Food and Beverage Manager, demonstrating strong operational skills and a commitment to customer service.

Her career expanded further with Sodexho, where she served as General Manager for Out-of-Door Academy in Sarasota, Florida, overseeing Pre-K through 12th-grade dining

operations. She managed budgets, inventory, menu planning, staff development, and customer satisfaction while implementing wellness programs and branded concepts.

During her time with Sodexho, Alina also supported food service operations at the General Motors Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where she oversaw menu planning, banquet preparation, inventory control, and staff training. Her work at the plant was a point of pride, reflecting her ability to excel in both educational and industrial environments.

She went on to direct food service operations for Service America Corporation in Titusville, Florida, overseeing cafeteria management, catering, shuttle-launch concessions, and staff training at NASA’s United States Space Camp.

Alina later held Food Service Director roles with Aramark at New Castle Correctional Facility and the Indiana Developmental Training Center, where she managed menu planning, labor control, inventory, catering, and staff training — including working with offenders and supporting children with autism and behavioral needs.

Even in retirement, Alina remained active and engaged. She worked at Home Depot, assembling displays and floor models — a job she genuinely enjoyed for its hands-on creativity. During the holidays, she delighted coworkers and customers alike by portraying Mrs. Santa Claus, a role that perfectly suited her warm spirit and playful sense of joy.

Across every position, Alina was known for her strength, her independence, and the generous heart she shared so freely with others. She was the kind of person who could fix her own car, lend a hand without being asked, and give whatever she had to anyone in need. Her bond with her sister Linda Pamela was something rare and beautiful — a near-twin connection that endured across every mile and every season of life. If one was troubled, the other felt it, and they reached for each other without hesitation.

Those who loved Alina will carry her memory with quiet gratitude, remembering her kindness, her resilience, her mischievous, playful nature and the gentle joy she brought into the world.

In accordance with Alina’s wishes, a private graveside service will be held at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Greenwood, Indiana. The family will gather to lay her to rest in a quiet, intimate ceremony.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the medical personnel at Community Health Network for the exceptional care, compassion, and support they provided to Alina. Their kindness during her final days will always be remembered with deep gratitude.

Services entrusted to O’Riley-Branson Funeral Service & Crematory, 6107 S. East Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46227.

Please visit www.orileybranson.com to leave a memory of Alina or to sign the online guest book.