PHILLIP ANDREW BALLARD

Phillip Andrew (Phil) Ballard of LaGrange, Mo., 62, passed away peacefully in his home, Feb 18, 2023.

Phil was born November 29, 1960 to Kenneth W. & Shirley Jean (Dulaney) Ballard in Carthage, Ill. Early life started out on the south side of Quincy, Ill., hanging with neighborhood friends, playing “golf” in the dump across the street, exploring every inch of Quincy’s South Park, building Motorific tracks, flying balsa wood airplanes, making Batman Utility belts, Star Trek phasers and Communicators from plastic Philip Morris cigarette packs and empty metal BandAid boxes.

He started school at Berrian School in Quincy, then later at LaGrange Elementary across the river. LaGrange Jr. High followed and finally Phil graduated from Highland High School in 1979. Phil enjoyed drums in HS Band, literature classes but mostly just practicing an early form of “in person” social media with his classmates. He also played football on Highland Cougars JV and Varsity Teams. Later he attended Hannibal Vo-Tech specializing in Graphic Arts.

His working career began as material handler for American Safety in Palmyra until it closed in 1985. After this, he became an extruder tech of rubber door seals. He retired Jan 31st, 2023 as a Forklift Operator for Henniges Automotive in Keokuk, Ia., after having worked for them over 31 years.
Phil’s many talents and skills included working on Lloyd Wilson’s Lewis County cattle farm, playing league Tennis with teammates, Doug Mallette, Kenny Cludray and Robert Gipson; he had a wide taste in music from Neil Diamond, Alan Parsons to Heart, Rush, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Pink Floyd; he was skilled in Calligraphy, film photography; he dearly loved his dogs Tala and Cody and cats Cammie and Tasslehoff. Most especially he loved Skiing at SnowBasin Utah and ANYTHING Irish. Politically, he was a Conservative Republican who believed in Freedom & Liberty free from Tyranny.

Eternally important is that Phil was a baptized Christian believer in Jesus Christ; he was a member and deacon at LaGrange Christian Church; he often served or attended VBS; Phil attended Shelby County Christian Assy Church Camp at Clarence, Mo. & LaMoine CC in Tennessee, Ill., often serving as camp staff several weeks each year. His quiet faith led him to be a very generous person wherever he saw the need, often, at his own expense. This was surely his God given gift. His other gift was being a great and beloved uncle.

Phil is survived by his father, Ken (Lucy) Ballard of LaGrange; brother, Allen (Connie) Ballard of New London; sister, Julie Ballard of Peoria, Ill.; step sister, Donna Hendrian of Quincy; nephew, Allen Kenneth (Ken) Ballard; an uncle Dan Dulaney; an aunt Ruth Dulaney of Aledo, Ill., Jan Dulaney of Quad Cities; tons of cousins, nieces including Alexis and Paris Gibson, nephews and close friends like Doug Mallett and Dan Dehner.

He was preceded in death by paternal and maternal grandparents, Herb and Velma Ballard, Harold and Edith Dulaney; mother, Shirley Jean Ballard; infant sister, Vicki Lynn Ballard; step sister, Carla Swango, uncle, Jim Dulaney; a second set of ‘adoptive’ loving parents, Charlotte Gipson and Lloyd and Delores Wilson; brother in law, Jason Koepke; and good friend Kenny Cludray.

Memorial Services will be on Saturday, March 4th at 11:00 a.m. at the Davis Funeral Home in LaGrange with Pastor Dan Dehner officiating. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until time of services in the funeral home.
Honorary pallbearers: Ken Ballard, Nathan Dulaney, Doug Mallett, Drew Mallett, Stephen Wilson, Robert Gipson, Jared Holtschlag and Roger Fast. Music: “Forever Autumn” Moody Blues, “Goin’ Home” Alan Parsons and Amazing Grace.
A private family and close friends Inurnment will be at Marks Cemetery in LaGrange after the service. 
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in care of Davis Funeral Home, La Grange, Mo.
Online condolences may be left at www.davis-fh.com