BALLARD, Edith Lucille (OPKIS)
OPKIS, BALLARD, BACHMANN, MCKAY, HARBISON, VANHORN, GROVEN, TERRANCE
Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 10/23/2014 at 12:21:01
Obituary - Edith Lucille (Opkis) Ballard
December 20, 1929 ~ April 10, 2011Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, IowaEdith Lucille Ballard passed away peacefully April 10, 2011 at the age of 81.
She was born December 20, 1929 in Hartley, Iowa to Charles and Minnie Opkis. She was the 3rd of six children. She graduated from Mason City High School in 1948. She studied bookkeeping at NIACC for a short time.
She married Willis E. Ballard on December 18, 1948. They had one son, Dale E. Ballard. Edith worked as a bookkeeper for Van Horn Auto Parts.
After her marriage, she and Willis did custodial work for various businesses and Cerro Gordo County Courthouse. She also worked for Risto sewing leather goods.
She was heavily into all kinds of sewing, knitting, tatting, crocheting, quilting and loved to go fishing. If it related to arts and crafts of any kind, Edie could do it.
Edith was a volunteer at the food bank, but she most enjoyed her volunteer work as a foster grandparent at the local schools.
A few years after the death of her husband, she moved to Mount Vernon to be closer to her son and family. Later she moved to LaConner Retirement Inn in LaConner.
Survivors include a son, Dale and wife, Verna Ballard; three grandchildren, Jennifer (Charles) Bachmann, Michelle (Mark) McKay, and Keith Harbison; seven great-grandchildren, Lindsey, Whitney, Cameron, Chase, Madysen, Wyatt, and Connor; one great-great-grandson, Landyn; two sisters, Margaret (Lloyd) VanHorn, Charlene Groven; and one brother, Alvin (Phyllis) Opkis.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Willis; sister, Cecil Terrance; and brother, Vernon Opkis.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 16, 2011 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City. A memorial service will be announced later this month.
Arrangements are under the direction of Hulbush Funeral Home, Burlington.
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2014
Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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