On Friday, December 27, 2024, after a long earthly journey, Marie Ballard of Ankeny, was welcomed into Heaven by a host of family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Memorial Services of Iowa (4208 N. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny, IA) with urn burial to follow at Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery. The family will greet visitors at the funeral home one hour prior to service time. The service will be livestreamed at https://vimeo.com/event/4951674

Marie Ruth Ballard was born on September 29, 1921, to Ed and Verna (Parmenter) Howard in Ankeny. She graduated from Ankeny High School and attended a business school in Des Moines.

Marie married Gerald “Jetter” Ballard on April 4, 1942, in Ankeny. She was a lifelong Ankeny resident and was actively involved with her church, the First Congregational Church (now the United Church of Christ), the American Legion Auxiliary, was the Iowa State President of the National TTT Society, and an active member of her local chapter.

Marie, an accomplished pianist and organist, enjoyed reading, playing cards, and spending the summers at the family’s cabin at Lake Washburn in northern Minnesota.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Gerald, and sons Tom and Jon; brothers and sisters-in-law Orville (Bub) and Bonnie Ballard; Cecil (Tike) and Carole Ballard; Duane (Stoney) and Betty Ballard; June and Wilber Evans; and nephews Larry Ballard and Kirk Ballard.

Marie is survived by her daughter Karen (Lyle) Avey; daughter-in-law Susan (Tom) Ballard; grandsons Mark (Lois) Avey and Mike (Bonnie) Avey; great-grandchildren Kayla (Tom) Murphy and Quinn Avey; great-great-granddaughters Maddie Bender and Evie Murphy, and 14 nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the United Church of Christ, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Ankeny Historical Society or a charity of your choice.

The family is extremely grateful to Kennybrook Village in Grimes for their compassionate care for the past five years of Marie’s life.

Visitation & Memorial Service

Mar

15

Memorial Services of Iowa

4208 North Ankeny Blvd
Ankeny, IA 50023

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM