Geneva Ballard

Born October 28, 1920 – Passed August 2025

Geneva Maye (Back) Ballard, age 104, was born in Ribbon, Kentucky, on October 28, 1920, and passed away peacefully in Ann Arbor, Michigan, surrounded by her loving family.

Raised in a rural farming community, Geneva was the daughter of Samuel and Ruby Back. Her father passed away when she was very young, and after a devastating house fire, Geneva and her mother relocated to Ann Arbor in 1943, joining her sister, Lucy (Back) Kuebler. Despite the hardships of her early years, Geneva graduated from Jamestown High School in 1942 and carried forward the strength, faith, and resilience of her upbringing.

She was a founding member of the Rock House Bottom Christian Church in Kentucky, a faith that grounded her throughout her long life. After settling in Ann Arbor, Geneva quickly found fellowship at Christian Memorial Church (later renamed Journey of Faith), where she became a lifelong member. She was a fixture in the congregation—teaching Sunday school to dozens of children, helping with nearly every church occasion, setting up, serving, and supporting her community with devotion and love. Geneva was deeply honored to be elected Deaconess Emeritus, a recognition of her decades of service and faith.

Geneva maintained many lifelong friendships and instilled that same gift in her family. One of her proudest friendships began in childhood with her cousins Maxine (Back) Bledsoe and Juanita (Back) Tweedy. All three grew up together in Kentucky, so close that people often remarked they were never seen apart—most often holding hands as they played. When Geneva and Juanita later moved to Ann Arbor, their bond with Maxine never wavered. Through phone calls, letters, family vacations, and countless shared moments, the three remained inseparable and actively involved in one another’s lives. In their later years, after their husbands had passed, daily phone calls became a cherished ritual, and Geneva often said that in all their years together there was never a cross word spoken between them.

In Ann Arbor, Geneva met the love of her life, Lloyd E. Ballard. They were married 28 September, 1944 during a brief leave between his boot camp training and overseas military service, beginning a marriage of 66 years filled with devotion, laughter, and partnership.

Geneva worked at Argus Cameras in Ann Arbor in the early 1950s and later as a lunchtime playground monitor at Haisley Elementary School, where her kindness and gentle presence touched many children’s lives. But her true calling was as a homemaker. She poured her heart into raising her own children and went on to help nurture her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who became the passion of her life.

Her home became the center of activity for family bonding. Every holiday, birthday, and major event saw thirty or more friends and family gathered under her roof. Geneva often reminded everyone, “At Grandma’s house, we share,” a simple saying that became an important life lesson for generations. She worked tirelessly to ensure everyone was fed and cared for, yet always made time to pause, hold a baby, or give her attention to a small child—making each person feel special and loved.

She was kind to everyone and every neighbor, who frequently became an extended part of her family. Later in life, those neighborhood friendships and kindnesses were returned, as she became known as “the grandma of the block.” She was blessed with a countless number of neighbors who helped take care of her with acts of kindness, returning the love she had always given so freely.

Together, Geneva and Lloyd built a family rooted in love and faith. She is survived by her four children:

- Doug Ballard and his wife Kathy, their son David and his wife Katy, and their daughter Arya.

- Pam Dotimas, her daughter Amy and her husband Dave, and their son Nathan; her son Shawn and his wife Kara, and their three boys—Matthew, Noah, and Benjamin; and her daughter Melissa (“Missy”) Dotimas, her daughter Sabrina Mathis and her husband Malik, and Missy’s younger children Kira and Jacob.

- Teresa Roberts and her husband Jay, their daughter Michelle, and Michelle’s children—Christian with his wife Rebecca, Josh, and Mckenzie; their son Jay Michael and his wife Jennifer, and children Paige and Scarlet; and their son Andy.

- Kevin Ballard and his wife Allison.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lloyd, with whom she shared an extraordinary journey of 66 years.

Geneva’s legacy is one of quiet strength, faith-filled service, steadfast friendship, and unwavering devotion to family. She leaves behind four children, seven grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren who will forever cherish her memory.

Her life was a blessing, her memory a treasure, and her love will live on in the generations she helped raise.

A graveside service for Geneva will be held Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 11:30 AM at Bethlehem Cemetery, 2801 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.