Jess S Ballentine Jr.

COLUMBIA Funeral service for Jess Sidney Ballentine Jr., 85, will be held at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 29, 2015, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, with burial in Woodridge Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. prior to the service at the church in the Good Shepherd Room. Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, is assisting the family. Mr. Ballentine died Saturday, September 26, 2015. He was born February 10, 1930, in Johnston, S.C. in the home of his parents, Jesse S. and Lucille Brunson Ballentine. Only a few months later, they moved to Columbia, S.C., where he attended the public schools through the ninth grade. In 1944, they moved to Walterboro, S.C., where he finished high school in 1946. After attending Newberry College for two years, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at the age of eighteen, serving one year of active duty and six years in the active Reserves. After his active duty, he returned to Newberry College, where he graduated with honors in 1951. In July of that year, he was employed by the Essotane Department of Esso Standard Oil Company in Walterboro. Various promotions resulted in transfers to Ridgeland in 1954, Georgetown in 1955, Columbia in 1960, Charlotte in 1972, and back to Columbia in 1973, most of that time in the capacity of Sales Supervisor, LP-Gas District Manager, or Field Sales Manager. He retired from Exxon Corporation on August 1, 1986 with thirty-five years of service. He was baptized and confirmed in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Columbia, where he was a faithful member for most of his life, serving as youth and adult Sunday School teacher, member and chairman of the Congregation Council, Financial Secretary, Asst. Treasurer, choir member, lector, usher, and chairman of numerous congregational committees. He has been a member of the Walterboro Jaycees, Georgetown Lions Club, Richland Kiwanis, Columbia Sales & Marketing Executives Club, Exxon Annuitants Club, Newberry College Presidents Club, and Mensa, serving in various offices in most of them. In his younger years, he was an avid hunter and fisherman. In later years, he enjoyed symphony orchestra concerts, chartered bus tours, U.S.C. football, and especially U.S.C. baseball, where he attended nearly every home game and numerous away games after his retirement. Although not a lover of yard work, he enjoyed tending and harvesting his fig tree and blueberry bushes and treasured the many shade trees in his yard. Poppy always considered himself to be very richly blessed because of his beloved wife, Peggy Peele Ballentine; their four children and their spouses, Sid “J. S., III” and Debbie Ballentine, David Edwin and Cheryl Ballentine, Lynn B. and Meyer Moore, Mark Alan and Ginger Ballentine; their seven grandchildren, Dana B. Coon (Jason) and Sara B. Jackson (Kyle), Brad Ballentine, Frederick and Caroline Moore, and Erin and William Ballentine; and their three great-grandchildren, Grayson and Abigail Coon, and Reagan Jackson. Every July, the entire family vacationed together in one large house at Fripp Island. The family also celebrated often at birthdays and holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, and these times were the highlights of his life. He also treasured his only sibling, Beth B. Hanks, and her husband, Bill and their four children’s families, and his brother-in-law and wife, Jimmy and Janna Peele, and their two children’s families. The family wishes to extend special appreciation and gratitude to Dottie, Sandy, Stacy, Jacob and the rest of the staff of Compassionate Care Hospice for their patient and loving care and dedication. Also, thank you to Pat Richardson and her associates for making Poppy’s final days as comfortable as possible. Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Ministries, to benefit those within the community in need, 1715 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201.