Gene Ballard

Gene was born in Elizabethton, TN September 12, 1941, a son of the late Hazel Ballard McKinney. He retired from Furnitureland South after 25 plus years of service. Gene had a passion for hunting, arrowheads, and metal detecting and he was an accomplished carpenter and teacher. He was an avid Carolina Tarheels and NASCAR fan. Gene was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was a member of Heath Church and was preceded in death by three brothers, Billy, Charles and Larry McKinney.

Surviving are his wife, Joy Burchett Ballard; two daughters, Miranda Schaal and husband Chris and Jennifer Tippett and husband Brian; two sons, Michael Ballard and wife Sharon and Jimmy Ballard and fiancé Tracey; a sister, Carol Fuller and husband Joel; a brother, Roger McKinney; seven grandchildren, Steven, Mark and Blake Ballard, Logan, Nicholas and Lauren Tippett and Skylar Schaal; three great-grandchildren, Caiden Dolan and Arieal and Steven Ballard; several nieces and nephews and special friends.

A Celebration of Gene's life will be held Friday at 11 a.m. in the Thomasville Funeral Home Chapel by Pastor Dan Downing and Pastor Jimmy Garrett. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Thursday from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Heath Church Building Fund, 1375 Heath Church Rd., Lexington, NC 27292.