Benjamin Ballard

Benjamin J Ballard was born to Charles H. and Julia Smith Ballard on Feb. 13, 1914, in the small town of Snowflake, Ariz. He was the ninth child in a family of 12 children. He grew up and attended both grade school and high school there in Snowflake. When Ben was 9 years old, his father died, leaving his widowed mother to care for him and his three younger sisters. After high school, Ben worked at various jobs, mainly as clerk and manager of a general grocery and hardware store, to help support the family. In 1939, he met and married a home economics high school teacher, Vera Esplin. It was soon decided that life held more for them than what Snowflake could offer. Since Ben had always been interested in electronics and mechanics, Oregon State College was selected as the best school to improve his education. In 1941, they packed their trunks and suitcases and moved to Corvallis, where Ben enrolled in the School of Electrical Engineering at Oregon State. Four years later, after earning a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, he was offered several jobs across the United States, one of which was right here in Corvallis, as the resident engineer of radio station KOAC. Both he and Vera had fallen in love with Oregon, and so this is where they decided to put down their roots and make their home. With the advent of television, Ben was involved in the installation, adjustment and operation of all of the transmitter, studio and microwave equipment for the new TV station KOAC-TV. With the forming of the Oregon Educational Public Broadcasting network, Ben was made chief engineer of both KOAC Radio and KOAC-TV, a position he held until his retirement. While living here in Corvallis, near the university, both he and his wife, Vera, earned their master's degrees. Vera's was a master of home economics, and Ben's was a professional degree of electrical engineer. After his retirement in 1979, he spent most of his time with his hobbies, namely gardening, wood-working, genealogy and photography. Throughout his life, much of his time was given to his church. During the period from 1963 to 1971, he was bishop to the University Ward, the group of LDS students attending the university. In 1983, he and his wife, Vera, were called to serve as ordinance workers in the Seattle and the Portland temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They served in this calling for 13 years. Because of old age and physical impairment, they moved into an assisted-living establishment, where Ben's wife of 69 years preceded him in death in 2008. He is survived by his children, Val K. Ballard and wife, Jane, of Richland, Wash., Diann and husband, Dee Lalliss, of North Salt Lake, Utah, and Julia Stacey of Fontana, Calif.; 19 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and many friends. Ben died peacefully on Saturday, March 6, 2010. Ben and his family would like to thank all the marvelous staff of Timberhill Place for their watchful care, and also the members of Corvallis Third Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for their many visits and kindnesses. We would like to give special thanks to Curt and Jan Baumgartner, longtime family friends; to Eric Lalliss, a grandson, for all his help; and to Lisa Merrifield, a granddaughter, and her family, for their irreplaceable loving care. Services will be held on Saturday, March 13, at the Walnut Building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 1205 N.W. Walnut Blvd., Corvallis. A viewing will be from 1 to 2 p.m., with services to follow at 2:30 p.m. The family would appreciate donations to the Humanitarian Services of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Donation slips will be available at the funeral services, or at the church on Sundays.

Tributes

Benjamin Ballard

February 13, 1914 - March 6, 2010