Carol Moore Ballard

Carol Moore Ballard

(12 Oct 1939 – 11 Feb 2023)

On Saturday morning, 11 February 2023, at 0844am, God called home one of the most beautiful souls we were ever blessed to know, Carol Moore Ballard.  She passed away at New Hanover Regional Medical Center after a short and sudden illness.  Miss Carol was born in Kannapolis NC, Cabarrus County, on 12 October 1939 to Robert Lincoln Foster and Wilma Lucille Todd Foster at Cabarrus Memorial Hospital, the eldest child of three.  She was predeceased by an infant brother, Robert Wayne Foster, her younger brother Stephen Lance Foster, and her younger sister Crystal Foster Harkey.  Carol graduated from A. L. Brown High School in 1957, where she was a member of the Quill & Scroll, the National Thespian Society, the Bible Club, Latin Club, Girls Chorus, Homeroom President, and many more.  Miss Carol was voted, fittingly, as “Most Dignified” by the school superlatives committee. 

She continued her education as a nursing student at Baptist Hospital School of Nursing and Wake Forest University, graduating in 1960, as a Registered Nurse.  For a period, she worked as the nurse for the Cannon Textile Mills, the employ of her parents and extended family until their retirement.  Shortly thereafter, she practiced nursing in the Raleigh-Durham area, until marrying Augustus Beamon Moore, Jr., the father of her children, and then moved to Wilmington, NC in 1964.

Carol was a long-standing member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of nursing.

She was a champion for the nursing profession and an astute, colorful, and sought-after educator.  Her vast experience spanning Pediatric, Psychiatric and Surgical nursing eventually culminated into a continuing education trailblazer, and one of the original seven leaders to establish Wilmington’s Area Health Education Center (AHEC).  At her retirement, she would be awarded the NC AHEC Founders Award for her contributions in establishing nursing initiatives for the North Carolina AHEC Program.  Carol would faithfully serve AHEC, and the surrounding 5 counties of Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, and Pender counties from 1972 until her retirement as the Director, Continuing Education for Nursing, in 1998. 

In that same year, she and Jim married, and her adventurous spirit took her to Europe; specifically, to Prague, Czech Republic, where she would share her expertise with Charles University.  She became a highly respected and valued member of the faculty, teaching Medical Terminology English in the Nursing and Medical departments. 

Upon returning to the United States in 2005, Carol continued to educate, as an instructor for the Certified Nursing Assistant Program at Cape Fear Community College until 2013.  With still more to give and a servant heart, Carol would continue to teach Sunday school for the Wesleyan Class at Grace, and volunteer in Miss Copeland’s 1st grade class at Rachel Freeman Elementary School.  There, she was a kind spirit, role model, and substitute grandma for many little people.  She also volunteered on various committees at Grace United Methodist Church and through other service organizations, such as the Junior Sorosis, National Society of Southern Dames of America, and the Wilmington Woman’s Club.

Carol had many interests and talents; oil painting, needlepoint, cross-stitch, crochet, knitting, poetry, the theater, dancing and always…music.  She and Jim were members of the New Hanover Cotillion, a black-tie dinner dance club where they enjoyed tasty meals, dancing to great live music, and meeting new friends.

She was a kind spirit who dearly loved God, her family, and friends.  Carol was funny, frank, very social, and would light up any room she entered.  She had many likes and few dislikes…she liked fresh flowers to include orchids and iris, sweet tea with “extra ice & extra lemon”, pretty China, crystal, silver and a beautifully set table, a good Riesling, or Bloody Mary…”but not too spicey”, family gatherings, and Christmas!  Oh my, did she love Christmas!  A good conversation, a funny movie, to laugh…she absolutely loved to laugh!  Of the few things in life that did not give her joy…She could not abide cold coffee, being late to church…being late to anything, judgmental people, or having anyone underestimate her. 

Carol is survived by her husband M. J. Ballard, Jr., her daughters Amanda Moore Ladd (Duke), and Amy Russo-Dahl (David), her granddaughters Margaret Olivia Russo, Melissa Catherine Russo, her niece Emily Harkey Mauldin (Tim) and great nieces Claire Crystal Mauldin, Natalie Grace Mauldin, her nephew Daniel Charles Harkey (Stephanie), stepdaughters Jennifer Ballard, Allison Ballard Davis (John) and grandson Ian James Davis. 

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, 26 February 2023 at Grace United Methodist Church, 401 Grace Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 at 3pm.  Pallbearers will be Jerry Cribbs, Jim Tyndall, Daniel Harkey, John Davis, David Dahl and Duke Ladd.  There will be a full reception, and celebration of her life immediately following in the Bullock Activity Center at the church.

Flowers can be sent to Andrews Mortuary & Crematory at 1617 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28401 (910-762-7788) and Andrews will deliver them to the church.  For anyone that would like to donate a tribute in her name, please consider the Grace United Methodist Church Music Memorial Fund via check or PayPal via “@graceumc”.

Written by, daughters, Amanda & Amy