LeRoy Dean Ballard, 29 Jun 1929 – 22 Apr 2013

BALLARD, WHITFIELD, SHRAMEK, LAGRANGE, STEELMAN, MOSER, SIEBELS, HEIMS, KRUSE, UNKEL, TECHAU, MARTIN, ALLEN, UPAH, USHER, KINZENBAW, ROBERTS, PLOTZ, KENSLER, FRIMML

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 5/3/2013 at 16:30:09

The Williamsburg Journal Tribune, Iowa County Obituaries – 02 May 2013
The Gazette, 24 Apr 2013

LeRoy Ballard, 83

Mass of Christian burial for LeRoy D. Ballard, Sr., 83, Marengo, was held at 10 a.m. Friday, April 26, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Watkins. He died Monday, April 22, 2013, at Colonial Manor of Amana.

The Rev. Craig Steimel officiated at the service.

Burial was in Calvary Cemetery, Marengo.

A memorial fund has been established.

Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, was in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.klosterfuneralhome.com.

LeRoy Dean Ballard was born June 29, 1929, south of Watkins, the son of Adrian James and J. Esther Whitfield Ballard. He attended a one room country school house near his home and spent his youth helping his father on the family farm.

He married Mildred Shramek of Swisher Oct. 30, 1951, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Marengo. The couple made their home on the family farm and raised six children.

A lifelong farmer, he loved John Deere tractors, raising cattle and checking the fields on his Gator. He also loved spending time with his family and listening to polka music.

He was a member of the Farm Bureau, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Watkins, and the Catholic Order of Foresters.

He will be remembered as a kind, loving and hardworking man, who loved farming, his wife and his family.

Ballard is survived by his wife of 61 years, Mildred; four sons, Ronald and Wendy, Marengo; LeRoy Jr. and Linda, Blairstown; Tom and Kim and Bill and Lori, all Marengo; two daughters, Marie LaGrange and Ken Steelman, Amana, and Linda and Galen Moser, Marengo; 18 grandchildren, Julie and Craig Siebels, Travis LaGrange, Troy and Karen LaGrange, Martin and Melissa Ballard, Sarah and Brian Heims, Angela and Jason Kruse, Melissa and Shane Unkel, Adam Ballard and Rachel Techau, Terry and Jodi Ballard, Amy and Arick Martin, Ashley Ballard and Bradley Allen, Courtney and Kyle Upah, Nathan and Stephanie Ballard, Scott and Jessi Ballard, Jeff Ballard and Shelby Usher, Christine Ballard, Tiffany and Drew Kinzenbaw and Tyler Moser and Macie Roberts; 26 great-grandchildren, Stephanie, Matthew, Megan, Christian, Korbin, Kinzlee, Kohle, Kaitlyn, Drew, Shawn, Chelsea, Jonathan, Hailee, Lacey, Aric, Brandon, Ariel, Jaidyn, Logan, Emma, Kiley, Kinley, Maddox, Londyn, Troy and Trevor; one great-great-granddaughter, Elizabeth; one brother, Richard Ballard, and one sister, Helen Plotz, both Marengo.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Harry, Jim, Bob and Edmond; two sisters, Estelle Kensler and Irene Frimml, and one grandson, Nicholas Ballard.