Obituary Edward "JT" Ballard Sr.

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The Obituary Father-in-Law of Clifford W. Chiles  Mr. Edward "JT" Ballard Sr. the son of the late Deacon Robert Ballard and Julia Richbow Ballard was born on May 29, 1919 in Horatio, South Carolina. He departed this life on Monday July 16, 2007 in Sumter, South Carolina. He was educated in the public schools of Sumter County, South Carolina. He was reared in a Christian home and accepted the Lord at a young age, and attended High Hills Baptist Church regularly.  He was drafted into the United States Army at the age of twenty-three, during World War 11. He has received numerous awards including two Purple Hearts, six battle stars, a Presidential Citation and Coin (President Eisenhower); for the battles of Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, Central Europe, etc., where he served "9 months and 21 days on the front line of the war". After his military stint he met and married Elveta Workman and from this union twelve children were born.  In 1954 Edward Sr. migrated to Washington DC, and began his career as a concrete contractor, where he established a reputation as a highly respected and skilled entrepreneur. He was a member of Prince Hall Lodge of the District of Columbia Free and Accepted Masons of John E Cook, No. 10 since 1979.  Edward Sr. leaves to cherish his memories, his loving wife of sixty-two (62) years Elveta Workman Ballard, his children Hercule (James) Clark of Bowie, Maryland; Edward (Catherine) Ballard Jr. of Washington, DC; Myrtle (Charles) Nsekela of Springfield Virginia; Seaquett (Johnnie) Williams of Henderson, Nevada; Michael (Joan) Ballard of Chillum, Maryland; Jacqueline (Larry) Jones, of Lanham, Maryland; Deborah (Clifford) Chiles of Forestville, Maryland; Kent (Linda) Ballard of Landover, Maryland; Robert Ballard of King George, Virginia; Gybrilla (Gary) Blakes of Bowie, Maryland; Oddie Ballard of Capitol Heights, Maryland; Craig Ballard of Atlanta Georgia; fifty-nine (59) grandchildren and thirty-three (33) great grandchildren; one sister Elveta Curtis of Rembert, South Carolina; one sister-in-law, Sarah Dennis and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and special friends.