Lydia Dunn Ballard

Lydia Pearl Dunn Ballard was born August 31, 1929 in Beaumont, Texas, the daughter of Albert and Hazel Self Dunn. She passed away on December 27, 2013 at the age of 84. She attended Leesville High School in 1947, then moved with her family to Arkansas and graduated from ElDorado High School in 1948. In 1959 she moved to Leesville with Tandy and Dennis. Her first job was with Leesville Automotive Parts and in 1960 she began work at the Vernon Bank. She became Assistant Vice President in 1963, was promoted to Vice President in 1965 and graduated from the Louisiana School of Banking in 1972.

Lydia married Norman Ballard in 1973. Norman and Lydia were avid fishermen and rabbit hunters. They were active members of the West Louisiana Shrine Club and they enjoyed a wonderful life together on Vernon Lake until Norman’s death in 1997. In 2008, she moved to Anacoco Lake to be closer to her family. Her pride and joy were her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and she was very close to her brother, Albert. Family gatherings were the highlight of her life.

Lydia was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Leesville. She enjoyed her canasta club and playing dominos with Brother Hank Hamilton and the ladies at the First United Methodist Church. Sewing and gardening were some of Lydia’s favorite hobbies. She was a past president of the Leesville Pilot Club and the Pappy Lipps Square Dancing Club. She served as chairperson of the Leesville Tourism Commission and was on board of directors of the Museum of West Louisiana and the Leesville Vernon Council on Aging. She was also a member of the Senior Circle of Leesville.

She is survived by her daughter Tandy Bell Schwartz and husband Richard of Leesville, Louisiana; sons Dennis Bradford Bell of ElDorado, Arkansas and Blaine Elton Ballard, Sr. and Joann of Mansfield, Texas; brother Albert Johnson Dunn , Jr. of Leesville, Louisiana; grandchildren Jennifer Schwartz Mount and husband Luther and Kelly Schwartz Dillon and husband Heath of Leesville, Louisiana; Blaine Elton Ballard, Jr. and wife Deanna of Algonquin, Illinois; Jeremy Shane Bell of ElDorado, Arkansas; great-grandchildren Logan Lee Mount, Morgan Layne Mount, Walker Ty Dillon, Conner Luke Dillon, Baylor Jack Dillon, Hayden Michael Ballard, and Jackson Alexander Ballard.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Norman Franklin Ballard, brother Wallace Roger Dunn, sister Alice Raye Dunn Lack and grandson James Dennis Bell.

Visitation will be held from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Monday, December 30th, and services will be Tuesday, December 31st at Hixson Funeral Home in Leesville.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the First United Methodist Church of Leesville or the Shriners Children’s Hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana.