John Ballard

John Robert "Tex" Ballard Sr. was born March 18, 1924 in Seagoville, Texas to Minnie Maye Guthrie and Walter Harwell Ballard.

John had three brothers: William Howard Ballard (1920-2009), Marcelle Ross Ballard (1922-1927), and Dannie George Ballard (1926-1995). He started school in Seagoville, Texas and finished at W.H. Adamson High in Dallas. He was in the R.O.T.C. He also ran track, coming in second om state in 1942. He was sent to San Antonio to Radio School before entering the service during WWII. He served in the Army Signal Core, putting up telephone poles and stretching wire for communication across the Himalayan Mountains, starting in Calcutta, and going across and into China. He hurt his back while lifting a 300 pound roll of wire.

He received the following medals: American Theater Campaign Medal, EAME (European-African-Middle Eastern) Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal (with two bronze stars), Good Conduct Medal, Victory Ribbon, and three overseas service bars. He stated that he looked on his time in the service as an adventure.

After the service, he married his pen pal from Brooklyn, NY, and lived on Long Island for 32 years. To this marriage, he had two daughters and one son. He got a divorce and returned to Texas in 1982. In 1985, he met his second wife, Marline Hill Fox. They were married on February 22, 1986, in Seagoville, Texas. They lived outside of Terrell, in Kaufman County for the rest of his life.

He belonged to the Terrell Bowling League and bowled until May 2017. He got his amateur radio license in 1957, then after coming back to Texas, he helped start the Trinity Valley Amateur Radio Club, where he remained an active member.

In 2004, he became a Kaufman County Master Gardener, which he dearly loved. He played his harmonica with a "Pickin & Grinnin" group in Kaufman and Terrell, which he greatly enjoyed doing. He and his wife delivered Meals on Wheels in Terrell every Thursday for 27 years. He is a member of the Gray's Prairie Baptist Church.

He went home to receive his heavenly reward on October 7, 2017. He leaves to cherish his memories: his loving wife, Marline; two daughters, Andrea Gallagher of New York, and Diana (Patrick) Esposito of West Virginia; a son, John Robert Ballard Jr, or Portland, Oregon; three granddaughters, Kristan (Christopher) Orr, Theresa (James) O'Neil of New York and Tracey (Wayne) Adams of Maryland; 2 great granddaughters Grace Orr and Anna O'Neil of New York; 2 great grandsons, Maxwell Orr and Cagan O'Neil of New York; the mother of his children, Rosemarie Agusto of New York, several nieces, nephews, and a lot of other family and friends.

John's family will be receiving friends and family at Goggan's Funeral Home on Tuesday, October 10, 2017 from 6 PM until 8 PM. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 at 10 AM, at Goggans Funeral Home. Immediately following the service will be a procession to Crandall Cemetery in Crandall, TX.