Fern Elizabeth Ballard

Fern Elizabeth Ballard, age 77, died peacefully in her home at Mountain Grove, Missouri on December 15, 2009. Fern was born in the White Rock community near Houston, Missouri to Elmer and Edna Arthur on April 6, 1932.
She graduated from Houston High School and attended SW Missouri College for one year.
On December 23, 1951 she married her high school classmate, Leonard H. Ballard and began a 58 year journey that took her to live in such places as Stillwater, Oklahoma, Washington D.C. , Anchorage and Soldotna, Alaska, Phoenix and Prescott Arizona, Haleiwa, Hawaii, Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada and back to Missouri, with side trips to China, England, France, Canada, and Mexico.
While in Alaska, for more than 40 years, Fern and her husband built hundreds of houses and the Red Diamond Shopping Center. During the same time she served as mid-wife helping many young women give birth to a new Alaskan.
As a young girl she became a member of the Christian Church. In the 70's she reaffirmed her faith and was baptized into the Worldwide Church of God. She lived a life of service and exemplified the woman in Proverbs 31:10-31.
Left behind are husband: Leonard Ballard; son: Phillip Ballard; daughters: Linda Clark and Diane McVeda; sisters: Elinor Dablemont and Georgia Flowers; brothers: Jim and Jerry Arthur; nine grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.


Funeral Services:
Friday, December 18, 2009 at 2:00 PM in the funeral home.
Visitation:
Friday, December 18, 2009 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM prior to the funeral service.
Burial:
Number One Cemetery
Memorial Contributions:
Number One Church or Number One Cemetery