Mrs. Jo Ann "Ballard" Blackburn

JoAnn was born on January 15, 1940 in Dallas, Texas to the late Joe Ballard and the late Letha (Cook) Ballard and entered into the arms of the Lord on Tuesday, March 10, 2015. JoAnn attended school in Dallas until her family moved to Grand Prairie when she was about 9 years old. She graduated from Grand Prairie High School in May of 1958. Three months after graduation, on August 9, 1958, she married her high school sweetheart, James Lamon Blackburn. They celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary before James passed away in 2012. JoAnn was a wonderful homemaker, loved to cook and sew and care for her two babies. She also worked outside the home in banks located in Grand Prairie, Mabank and Eustace. She was elected to Vice President of First State Savings and Loan in Mabank. She also got her real estate license and sold property for awhile. The family moved to Mabank in 1972 and built two beautiful homes (a lot of the work done by their own hands). They furnished them with lovely antiques that they found at flea markets and estate sales. They enjoyed hunting old things and then re-finishing them. Jo really enjoyed RVing, traveling and reading. She always had a novel by her side that she was reading. She and James traveled to many interesting places in the Continental United States, Alaska, Canada, Hawaii and Old Mexico. She enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest until bad health took over. She was baptized into Christ in 1956 and lived the life of a faithful Christian. She was a member of the Mabank Church of Christ. She loved her “church family” here in Mabank and often spoke of the wonderful things the church did to help her. We take comfort in knowing that we will see her again someday.

JoAnn was pre-deceased by her Dad, Joe Ballard; her Mother, Letha (Cook) Ballard; her husband, James Lamon Blackburn and a brother-in-law, V.L. “Blondie” McLeroy.

She is survived by her daughter, Tamara Wimmer of Denton; son, James Mark Blackburn and wife Melinda of Mabank; three grandchildren, James Michael Blackburn of Bryan; Tessa Wimmer and Trenton Wimmer of Denton; one brother, Joe Bailey Ballard Jr. and wife Dolores of Grandbury; one sister-in-law, Peggy Burns and husband Robert Burns of Jacksonville; several nieces, nephews, other family and many loving friends.

She will be greatly missed.