James Fenton "Hank" Ballard

Graveside services will be held for James Fenton “Hank” Ballard, 70, of Roswell at 1 pm on Thursday, December 5, 2013 at South Park Cemetery in Roswell. Dr. Doug Mills of First United Methodist Church of Roswell and Harley Parnell will officiate. The graveside service will be followed by a memorial at First United Methodist Church, 200 N. Penn at 2 pm. He passed away Sunday, December 1, 2013 following a lengthy illness. James was born August 17, 1943 to Phillip and Delpha (Gross) Ballard in Wyatt, Missouri. He spent his early years moving around the mid-western United States as his father looked for work as a sharecropper and automotive industry worker. Much of his formative teen years were spent in Grosse Pointe, Michigan before moving back to Poplar Bluff, Missouri. At the age of 16, he left home and struck out on his own. Among the jobs he held was as a short-order cook in a Poplar Bluff diner. This was clearly an exciting time for him, as he told many stories of his days in that kitchen. Just weeks after turning 18 in 1961, James joined the Air Force and ultimately found his way to a post at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell. It was during his time in the Air Force that he was given the nickname of “Hank”, after the famous singer of the time – Hank Ballard, and by which he was known to many friends and family for the rest of his life. It was also in the Air Force that he discovered a love and aptitude for all things computer-related. He learned his trade as a data processing manager as an Airman, and plied that trade for various companies throughout southeastern New Mexico including First National Bank, Crocker and Company, Armstrong Construction, Lincoln County, White City, Pepsi Bottling Company and Eastern New Mexico University, in addition to several years of independent consulting. He sacrificed numerous career-advancing opportunities across the country to ensure that his family had stability and consistency – never forgetting the difficulties he had moving from school to school as a child. He once said that he never attended a single school for more than one year, and he refused to do that to his own children. The Air Force also gave him the opportunity to meet and fall in love with a young school teacher who had moved to Roswell to start a school for deaf children. Carolyn Fowler did her best to resist the dashing man in uniform, but his charm, gentlemanly ways and persistence ultimately won her over. The Airman and the school teacher were married on July 10, 1965. Forty eight years later, Carolyn Fowler Ballard and the two sons Hank gave her, stood by his hospital bed holding his hands and showering him with love and tears until his heart beat its last and he went home. James loved being a father and jumped into the role with both feet. He never missed an opportunity to be fully involved in anything and everything that his two sons, Kevin and Craig, were doing. He spent countless hours volunteering on parent committees, throwing a baseball, camping, fishing, hunting, attending plays, recitals, concerts, baseball/basketball/soccer games and more. He took great pride in the fact that both of his sons earned their Eagle Scout awards through Boy Scouts, and he spent a number of years as a Scout Leader even long after his own two sons had moved on from Scouts. To say that he loved his grandchildren – Chantel, James and Brodie – is an understatement of epic proportions. He never hesitated to spend every available moment rocking them to sleep in his arms, playing Legos on the floor with them, piling up leaves in the backyard, swinging, pushing them on their bikes. Even as his health began to fade in his last days, he gave every ounce of his energy to be what he was put on this earth to be – a husband, father and grandfather. He was known as “Papa” to his grandchildren, and this name will surely be remembered with undying fondness for the rest of their lives. Hank was a member of First United Methodist Church in Roswell for nearly fifty years, and was active with various service clubs, Boy Scout Troop 72, his “Monday Night Supper Club” and daily coffee meetings at McDonalds. While never a big professional sports fan, he adopted the New Orleans Saints in 1980 when no one else would cheer for them, because he felt that even a terrible football team needed at least one fan. He stuck with them throughout the years, and was thrilled when they finally won a Super Bowl nearly 30 years later. His calm demeanor, biting dry humor, easy laugh and sheer generosity will never be forgotten by anyone who ever crossed his path. He will be remembered as a faithful and loyal friend, loving husband, dedicated father and devoted grandfather. And no amount of words will ever be able to describe just how painfully he will be missed. Thank you for being in our lives Papa, Dad, Hank, Jim, Mr. Ballard, James. We are all better people because you once were. And our hearts are heavy with unbearable grief because you are no longer. James is survived by his loving and devoted wife Carolyn, his sons James Kevin Ballard and wife Stephanie, of Roswell and Craig Owen Ballard and wife Nadine, of Artesia; grandsons James Scott Ballard and William Brod Lovato Ballard, of Roswell; and granddaughter Chantel Anissa Ballard, of Roswell. He is also survived by five brothers and sisters – Dixie “Bea” Bounds, of Poplar Bluff, MO; Albert Ballard of Genoa, CO; Mabel Thompson of Columbus, OH; Deda Pollard of Piggott, AR; and Phyllis McLain, of Lubbock, TX. He was preceded in death by his father, Phillip Ballard, his mother Delpha (Gross) Ballard, his brother William “Sonny” Ballard, and a nephew, Greg Pollard. Pallbearers are Kevin Ballard, Craig Ballard, Jeff Huckabee, Lee Gutierrez, Dave Therrien, Jim Turner. Honorary pallbearers are Monday Morning Prayer Group, Monday Evening Dinner Group, Boy Scouts Troop 72, Grandchildren, First United Methodist Church Ushers, Ambucs-Hobbs, Masons of Roswell, Independent order of Forresters. In lieu of flowers the family would like donations be made to Cowboy Bell Scholarship Foundation and Music Ministry of First United Methodist Church of 200 North Pennsylvania, Roswell NM, 88201. 575-622-1881.

James Fenton "Hank" Ballard

August 17, 1943 - December 1, 2013