Samuel Eugene Ballard Tahlequah Daily Press
Tahlequah, Oklahoma
October 26, 2009Submitted by: Jo Aguirre
Samuel Eugene Ballard was born Nov. 18, 1926, to Homer W. and Artie M. (James) Ballard in Cherokee County, and departed this life to be with the Lord on Oct. 23, 2009, at St. John's Hospital in Tulsa. Samuel grew up in Cherokee County, and he gave his life to Christ while living in Stone Chapel. He served in World War II in the Army Air Corps with the occupation forces in Japan. After his discharge, he worked for Boeing Aircraft for 18 years, and then in telephone construction until his retirement in 1990. He married the love of his life Edith Carlson on Oct. 7, 1954, in Derby, Kan. After retiring, they moved back to Tahlequah, where he enjoyed visiting relatives and friends, fishing, yard work, and being involved with Southside Baptist Church until his health forced him to stay home. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, two sisters, one daughter, and two grandsons. He is survived by a very loving family, which includes his wife, Edith Ballard, of the home in Tahlequah; sons, Harold Ballard and wife, Kay, of Marshfield, Mo., Clyde E. Ballard and wife, Donna, of Westville, and Okey W. Ballard and wife, Dee, of Wichita, Kan.; daughters, Marilyn L. Blalock and husband, Jim, of Cocoa, Fla., and Rita Gibbs and husband, Bob, of Tulsa; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Ray Dean Keeter of Tahlequah; brother H.M. Ballard and wife Peggy of Tahlequah; sisters, Loretta Wilson and husband, Freddy, of Nashoba, Stella Anderson of Pea Ridge, Ark., and Deloris McGowen and husband, Fred D., of Choctaw; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Services will be Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009, at 2 p.m., at the Reed-Culver Funeral Chapel, with Brother Charles Keim and Brother Mike Newberry officiating. Interment will follow at the Park Hill Cemetery under the direction of Reed-Culver Funeral Home. Viewing will be Monday, Oct. 26, 2009m from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Reed- Culver Funeral Home.
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