David Ute (Blackhawk) Ballard, 87, of La Crosse, died on Monday, February 15, 1999 of natural causes at the Bethany Riverside Care Center. He was born on February 17, 1911 in Braggs, OK to William and Sallie (Ratlingourd) Ballard. He married Ruby Ester Fisher on July 6, 1931 in Tulsa, OK. During the years of WWII, David worked as a pattern maker at Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa, OK in the bomber plant. He worked for a number of years for Douglas Aircraft. David worked as a Carpenter for Waite Phillips (Phillips 66) in Tulsa. In 1958 he was the Master Carpenter for Hillcrest Medical Center for 18 years until his retirement in 1976. He and his wife, Ruby, enjoyed ballroom dancing. David loved music and played the guitar, both electric steel and standard. During the 1940's in Tulsa he had his own band. In 1986 David and Ruby moved to La Crosse, WI. There David was active in the dances held at the Senior Citizens Centers, he played his homemade bass ``fiddle'' in the La Crosse Kitchen Band, The Offbeats. He was a member of the Moose Lodge for a few years. His last residence was at Bethany on Cass. David had been a member of the Assemblies of God Church at Fifth and Peoria in Tulsa, OK for many years, a member of the Cherokee Northeast Indian Tribe of Tahlequah, OK and a member of the California Toastmasters. He is survived by: 2 daughters, Sharon (George) Kerckhove of Bedminster, NJ, Barbara (Donald) Blackburn of Smithfield, RI; 2 sons, Donald L. of Tulsa, OK and David (Ruth) of Milton, WA; 13 grandchildren, PeriAnne (Mark) Olson of La Crescent, MN, Curtis (Johanna) Huggins of Grand Rapids, MI, Brent (Shari) Huggins of Madison, WI, Jennifer Huggins of Telluride, CO, Christopher (Terri) Rychel of Tulsa, OK, Kristen Ballard of Irvine, CA, Charles David (Gina) Foster of Lake Charles, LA, Shala Blackburn of Wichita, KS, Scott (Angie) Blackburn of Wichita, KS, Vicky (Steve) Geffre of Eatonville, WA, Donald Ballard of Eatonville, WA, Stacy (Jeff) Bates of Rusk, TX, David (Janelle) Ballard of Ft. Worth, TX; a nephew, Houston Ballard in Taft, CA. There are 22 great-grandchildren and many other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by: his wife, Ruby; brothers, Tom, John, Don and William Romine, (Skeet); sisters, Caroline, Capitola, Lily Belle and Jananna. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 20, 1999 at 10 a.m. at the Floral Haven Funeral Home, 6500 S. 129th E. Ave., Broken Arrow, OK 74012 with Rev. Tom Ballard, David's nephew, officiating. Burial will be in the Floral Haven Memorial Gardens. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from 9 a.m. until the time of service.
Tulsa World
February 1999