The Life of FRED NATHAN BALLARD
Fred Nathan Ballard, 72, of Ankeny, formerly of Johnston, passed away on September 1, 2014, at Mercy Hospice in Johnston. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, September 5, 2014, at Hamilton’s near Highland Memory Gardens, 121 NW 60th Avenue, with burial at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, September 4, 2014, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., also at the funeral home.
Fred was born October 13, 1941, to Donald L. and Margaret R. (Fredregill) Ballard. He was a graduate of East High School class of 1960. He married Linda L. Doubek in 1962, and they had four children together. Linda passed away in 1980. He married Shirley (Heires) Koester in 1997.
Fred was an Air Force Veteran, serving from 1960-1964 as a dental technician at Minot AFB in Minot, North Dakota. Fred drove a semi-truck for a living, working for Super Valu for 33 years before his retirement. He was an avid bowler, bowling a perfect 300 game in 1975, as well as many other “close calls.” He loved to collect farm tractors and work on them. Fred was a very knowledgeable mechanic, and there was nothing that he could not fix. He also loved watching old western movies on the Western Channel. Fred was first and foremost a family man his whole life, and a loving husband, dad, grandpa, brother, and uncle.
Fred is survived by his wife, Shirley; children, Tracey (husband Dennis) Montavon of Ankeny, Gregory Ballard, Sr., of Polk City, James (fiancée Kerri) Ballard of Johnston, Freddie Ballard of Johnston, and step-children, Tim Koester and Tammy Koester, both of Des Moines. Also surviving are his 6 grandchildren, Gregory, Jr., Alex, Michael, Maci, Jadon, and Kayla; siblings, Dennis (Shirley) Ballard of Ankeny, Clifford Ballard of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Leonard (Sheryl) Ballard of Des Moines, Marjorie Burgess of Ankeny, Bettie (Ken) Danley of Des Moines, Phyllis (Mike) Hastie of Bondurant, Connie Ballard of Pleasant Hill, and Karen Ballard of Des Moines, along with many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Linda; fiancée, Sandra Armstrong; his parents; and brother, Jeffrey Ballard.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Mercy Hospice in Johnston or the American Cancer Society.
Fred was born October 13, 1941, to Donald L. and Margaret R. (Fredregill) Ballard. He was a graduate of East High School class of 1960. He married Linda L. Doubek in 1962, and they had four children together. Linda passed away in 1980. He married Shirley (Heires) Koester in 1997.
Fred was an Air Force Veteran, serving from 1960-1964 as a dental technician at Minot AFB in Minot, North Dakota. Fred drove a semi-truck for a living, working for Super Valu for 33 years before his retirement. He was an avid bowler, bowling a perfect 300 game in 1975, as well as many other “close calls.” He loved to collect farm tractors and work on them. Fred was a very knowledgeable mechanic, and there was nothing that he could not fix. He also loved watching old western movies on the Western Channel. Fred was first and foremost a family man his whole life, and a loving husband, dad, grandpa, brother, and uncle.
Fred is survived by his wife, Shirley; children, Tracey (husband Dennis) Montavon of Ankeny, Gregory Ballard, Sr., of Polk City, James (fiancée Kerri) Ballard of Johnston, Freddie Ballard of Johnston, and step-children, Tim Koester and Tammy Koester, both of Des Moines. Also surviving are his 6 grandchildren, Gregory, Jr., Alex, Michael, Maci, Jadon, and Kayla; siblings, Dennis (Shirley) Ballard of Ankeny, Clifford Ballard of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Leonard (Sheryl) Ballard of Des Moines, Marjorie Burgess of Ankeny, Bettie (Ken) Danley of Des Moines, Phyllis (Mike) Hastie of Bondurant, Connie Ballard of Pleasant Hill, and Karen Ballard of Des Moines, along with many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Linda; fiancée, Sandra Armstrong; his parents; and brother, Jeffrey Ballard.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Mercy Hospice in Johnston or the American Cancer Society.