Robert C. Ballard

M/SGT Robert C. Ballard, USAF Ret., age 81, of Moffat died Thursday, February 14, 2008 at his residence. Services will be held at 2:00 PM Monday, February 18 at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home with Rev. Mel Plunk officiating. Burial with military honors will be at Moffat Cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00 – 7:00 PM Sunday at the funeral home. He was born May 13, 1926 in Winchester, Kentucky to Garrett and Amanda (Puckett) Ballard. He was reared and educated in Winchester and joined the U. S. Navy at an early age. In WWII, he served in both the European and the Pacific Theaters. He entered the U. S. Air Force in 1946 and served in the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. He was an aircraft machinist, electronic technician and construction equipment operator. He also worked in the education field. He retired from the Air Force after 22 years on November 1, 1966 from Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. He retired from civil service at Fort Hood in 1987. Mr. Ballard spent his leisure time traveling with his wife in their R.V. and serving as Treasurer and Animal Cruelty investigator for both the Greater Temple Humane Society and the Bell County Adoption Society. He was preceded in death by his parents and one granddaughter, Ashley Gayle Taft. Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Margaret Prewitt Ballard of Moffat, three daughters, Sherry Wittmus and husband, Martin of Old Monroe, Missouri, Regina Butler and husband, Billy of Winchester, Kentucky, Cindy Taft and husband, Jerry of Temple, one son, B. Douglas Crowe of Temple, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Also surviving is one brother, Bush Ballard of Cincinnati, Ohio. Pallbearers are Christopher Taft, Lee Alloway, Alan Alloway, Paul Molina, Jerry Taft and Wayne Wittmus. Memorial donations may be made to the Ashley Taft Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o St. Francis Episcopal Church, 5001 Hickory Road, Temple, Texas 76502.