Johnnie Rebecca Ballard

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, great great grandmother, aunt, sister and friend passed away in her home on July 17, 2014 and is now in the presence of the Lord.

She was born on December 18, 1932 Johnnie Rebecca McPherson in Etowah County, Alabama.

She graduated with honors from Tyler High School in 1950. Shortly after graduating she met and married James H. Ballard (Jimmy) on June 3, 1950. Jimmy and Johnnie were sweethearts, married 52 years and raised four children: Jenny Marie Hines (husband Tommy Hines), James Steven Ballard (wife Annabeth Ballard), Marla Sue Rochelle (husband Rob Rochelle) and Carrie Rebecca Nichols.

She was a member and attended Woods Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas. She loved her Sunday School class and was a devoted and faithful servant of the Lord.

Three of her greatest joys in life were cooking for her family, her grandchildren, Keith Ford, Ross Reid, William Mattinson and Stephen Nichols, her five great grandchildren, John Paul Ford, Lily Reid, Taylor Reid, Paige Mattinson and Austin Mattinson and her great great grandson Thomas Ford. And last but not least she loved and enjoyed her five brothers, Donald, Jimmy, Charlie, Mike and Ricky McPherson.

She is preceded in death by her parents Floyd and Zera McPherson, her husband Jimmy Ballard, her younger brother Charlie McPherson.

Visitation will be held at Tyler Memorial Funeral Home, 12053 Hwy. 64 West, Tyler, on Sunday, July 20th from 4:00-6:00 pm.

A memorial service and celebration of Johnnie’s life will be held at The Woods Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas at 10:00 am. Monday, July 21st.

Those who would like to make a donation in Johnnie’s honor; her favorite charity where she loved to volunteer is “The Pure of Heart” at The Woods Baptist Church.

The pallbearers will be Keith Ford, Ross Reid, William Mattinson, Stephen Nichols, John Paul Ford and Don McPherson.