Joseph Leo Ballard

"Funeral Service:Wednesday, July 27, 2016Rabenhorst Funeral Home East11000 Florida Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 708151:00 PM until the Funeral Service at 2:00 PMBurial:Greenoaks Memorial ParkBallard, Joseph LeoJoseph LEO Ballard passed away on July 25, 2016. He was 961/2. His friends called him LEO but to family he was always Paw Paw. He was predeceased by his wife of 72 years, Vera Hull Ballard. He was survived by two sons, Alvin Leo Ballard (Katie) and Bruce Wayne Ballard (Sherry) and one daughter, Rita Ballard Wilson (Jerry). He had four granddaughters, Brandy Rush (Brendan), Tammy Hall (Scot), Donna Bowden (Eddie) and Burgundy Cummings (Paul) which he taught how to drive and he had a mess of great and great-great grand kids. LEO didn't finish school but was a very hard worker all his life. He was raised on a farm where he worked the fields as a kid with his four sisters and three brothers. Later he was known to have a green thumb and grew beautiful roses. During WW II he served in the Coast Guard where he supplied troops in the Pacific. After the war he became a roofing contractor and ran the best roofing crew in Baton Rouge. He enjoyed traveling and cooking fish and barbequing for his family and friends. LEO always enjoyed a very healthy life but in the last few months had succumbed to cancer and failing health. During the last years he lived at home he was blessed to have great neighbors (Mark and Michelle Williams and Chester and Myra Wyble) that brought him dinners and checked on him every day. Another blessing was from the ladies of the Florida Blvd Baptist Church where he was a member for about 65 years. They visited him regularly and brightened his day. He also treasured his two daughters-in-law who did everything possible to make his life better. Up until the end of his days he enjoyed his phone visits with his sister Winnie. LEO was loved by all who knew him and he will be missed by all. Pallbearers will be Brendan Rush, Paul Cummings, Scot Hall, Eddie Bowden, Rodney Sanchez and Mark Williams. Honorary pallbearers will be Chester Wyble, Jackson Cummings, Jacob Bowden, Connor Hall and Christopher Landry. Visitation will be at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East Chapel, 11000 Florida Blvd, on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 from 1pm until religious services at 2pm conducted by Rev. Joey Beeson. Burial will follow in Greenoaks Memorial Park. Please share sympathies atwww.rabenhorst.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.rabenhorst.com">www.rabenhorst.com.