Vera Ballard

Vera Esplin Ballard was born in Basalt Idaho, to Marion and Cleminta Esplin on October 9,1915. She grew up and attended both elementary and high schools in Shelley, Idaho. She later attended college in Pocatello Idaho and Utah State University in Logan Utah, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics. In 1938 she signed a contract to teach Home Economics in the High School at Snowflake, Arizona. Here she met Ben J Ballard and they were later married Dec. 22, 1939. In 1941 they moved to Corvallis Oregon in order for Ben to attend Oregon State University. After her children (Val, Diann and Julia) were in school she renewed her teaching certificate and again taught Home Economics in the Corvallis Junior High schools. During the summer months she took classes at Oregon State University and in 1963 she earned her Master’s Degree in Home Economics. She continued teaching in the Corvallis School System for 17 years, retiring in 1971. After retirement she devoted her energy to hobbies such as sewing, quilt making, embroidering, cooking, raising flowers and gardening. In 1982 she and her husband Ben, received a call to serve as Ordinance Workers in the LDS Temples. They then spent the next 13 years giving service in both the Seattle and the Portland temples of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints. After living, for 50 years, in the home that the she and the children helped build, Vera had to give up house keeping as the result of a stroke. She and her husband then moved into an assisted living facility where she made the comment, “if you can’t live in your own home, then I guess this is the next best place to live”. Vera died peacefully on September 24, 2008 with family and friends in attendance, just 15 days short of her 93rd birthday. She is survived by her husband Ben, married for 68 years, and three children son Val of Richland, Washington, daughters Diann Lalliss of North Salt Lake, Utah and Julia Stacey of Fontana, California, (a son Charles Harvey died in infancy) 19 grandchildren and 42 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 27th in the Walnut Building chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. A viewing will be held, in the Relief Society Room at 10 A.M. with the funeral service following at 11 A.M.

Tributes

Vera Ballard

October 9, 1915 - September 23, 2008