David Edwin Ballard

David Edwin Ballard April 15, 1939- April 26, 2017 David Edwin “Dave” Ballard, resident of Benton County entered into rest at his home in Monroe, OR on Tuesday. He was 78 years young. Born in Berwyn, OK, the second of nine children, to Herbert Ross Ballard and Peggy Loretta (Barry) Ballard, the family moved to San Diego, CA in 1942 and to Alpine, OR in 1946. David attended Alpine Elementary School, graduated from Monroe Union High School, served in the Army, and later attended Lane Community College. Highly regarded as a family man, David married Christie “Sunny” Louise Ballard on July 15, 1962 in Vancouver, WA. The couple had four daughters, all of whom were born in Corvallis, and lived in the Monroe and Alpine area until 1981 when with their three youngest daughters moved to Reno, NV. David’s military life began in the Army in 1957 where he served in the 141st as a Field Artillery Crewman in the 101st Airborne Division, earned a Parachutist Badge and a Good Conduct Medal. He attended The Airborne School in Fort Campbell, KY and The Infantry School in Fort Benning, GA where he graduated as an Airborne Ranger. His rank at discharge was Sergeant E-5. Professionally David worked at a myriad of occupations including working at plywood mills, driving a taxi, running his fresh water well drilling business in Alpine, OR, and drilling geothermal wells in Reno, NV. In 1983 he landed his dream retirement job as a heavy equipment operator for the Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada. He was a patriotic man that loved his country and always served his community well. He coached Little League and Pony League baseball, led a Boy Scout troop, taught a hunter’s safety course to Benton County youth, and served on the Monroe City Council in Oregon. In Nevada, he was the president of the Reno Girls’ Softball League, was a manager in the Reno Aces softball organization, and served as the Deputy Junior Olympic ASA Softball State Commissioner. In addition, he was a volunteer firefighter in Washoe County. He was a member of the Freemasons and took on the persona of Barn-a-Bee the clown to cheer up children at the Sacramento, CA Shriner’s hospital and the Reno Shriner’s Circus. His hobbies included travelling around the West Coast to watch his daughter, Cindy Castona, compete in collegiate track meets for Lane Community College, travelling around the US to watch his daughter, Charity Ballard, compete with The University of South Carolina Lady Gamecock softball team, and he took great pride in attending a ceremony at Wooster High School to see his daughter, Melody Ballard, be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame; He also enjoyed going to his granddaughters’ sporting events, woodworking, making award winning salsa, supporting OU and OSU softball, hunting, fishing, and going on elk hunting trips with his brothers and nephews. What he enjoyed most was experiencing the joy of being “Papa” to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. David was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and his beloved daughter, Kandi Kay Larue (Ballard) Jolley. He is survived by his three daughters: Cindy Castona, Melody Ballard, and Charity Ballard; four brothers: Jerry Ballard, Bob Ballard, Gary Ballard, and Rick Ballard; four sisters: Gwenda Kaping, Judy Sherman, Jean Wheeler, and Terri Sue Adair; nine grandchildren: Melissa Jolley, Kimberly Jolley, Ashley Baldwin, Kourtney “Peanut” Mootz, Anderea Rodriguez, Alexis Rodriguez, Alisha Rodriguez, Savanah Koester, and Noah “David” Wilson; four great-grandchildren: Arianna Rodriguez, Paisley “Puddlejumper” Baldwin, Harper Baldwin, and Sofia Riojas; four brothers by marriage: Louie Kaping, Fred Sherman, Hugh Wheeler, and Eddie Adair; four sisters by marriage: Sharon Ballard, Sheryl Kinney-Ballard, Barbara Ballard, and Andili Ballard; numerous nieces and nephews, a plethora of great nieces and nephews, one special niece, Susie Ballard Mejia, that has been his caretaker, and even a few Ballard wannabes. Military memorial services will be Monday, May 1st at 1:30 at Bellfountain Community Church with graveside services to follow at 2:30 at Alpine Cemetery where he will be laid to rest “holding hands” with his wife “Sunny” and his precious daughter Kandi. Pastor Greg Kline will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the Herb and Peggy Ballard Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of McHenry Funeral Home, 206 NW Fifth St. Corvallis, OR 97330. If you make a phone call up to heaven any time soon, you may be greeted with “Kelly’s pool hall, Kelly speaking…” and instead of good-bye at the end of a long entertaining conversation, you will hear “See ya in the funny papers…”

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David Edwin Ballard

April 15, 1939 - April 26, 2017