Billy Gene Ballard 1930-2014 With a heart filled with faith and the marvelous peace of God, Bill went to meet his Savior on Tuesday, August 12, 2014. Every day throughout his long illness, he maintained an "attitude of gratitude" for all the ways God had blessed him throughout his 84 years of life. He praised God for his aunt and uncle, the late Tommie and Taylor Minnick, who raised him; for his wife, Shirley, of 63 years; for his daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Ed Sykes of Garland, TX; for his son and daughter-in-law, Doug and Deborah Ballard of Crawford, TX; for his granddaughter and husband, Amy and Brad Dibble of Richardson, TX; for his granddaughter, Ashley Howard of Dallas, TX; for his late grandson, James (Jay) Grizzle; and for his precious great-grandchildren, Collin Taylor Grizzle and Madelyn Reann Grizzle of Plano, TX and Mason Kirk Dibble of Richardson, TX. He also counted his many good friends as some of his greatest blessings. No one could have had a more wonderful husband, father, grandfather or great-grandfather than Bill. He was an example to us all. He cherished each day of life and was quick to express his love and thankfulness. He never lost his sweet spirit and smile nor his sense of humor. Born in Wichita Falls, TX on January 28, 1930, to Wilabell and Jack Russell Ballard, he moved to Haltom City, TX after the death of his mother when he was 10 years old. His aunt and uncle lovingly raised him. Upon graduation from Birdville High School, he joined the Navy in 1947 and served four years during the Korean War in the U.S. Navy Medical Corp as an X-ray technician before receiving an honorable discharge in 1951. He continued his training in electronics and worked for Collins Radio in Richardson, TX (which later became the Rockwell Corp.) for 15 years. Then through God"s hand he went to work for Mobil Oil Research and Development in the Dallas area for the next 25 years until he retired in 1995. During his employment with Mobil he was very innovative and was named as co-inventor on several patents for new instruments used to find and extract oil. One was incredibly innovative and modulated the drill pump off and on to produce digital signals to communicate to the drill for changing its direction miles below the earth's surface, which is still in use today in the petroleum industry. Serving the community, he volunteered several years for Contact Ministries Crisis Hotline, and after retirement he served his community further by teaching computer classes to seniors at Blanton Gardens and he rotated with others to run the audio visual system for services at Axe United Methodist Church. He enjoyed the Axe Men's breakfast most Mondays with "The Guys". Bill and the former Shirley Gifford were married in Memphis, TN on November 9, 1950 and would have celebrated 64 years of marriage this year. According to Shirley, he was quite the romantic. Even up to his death he would remind her often, with a smile, that he was "madly in love with her." The family will receive friends at the Eastgate Funeral Home from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Thursday, August 14th. Burial will be at Restland Memorial Park on Friday, August 15th at 9:30 am. A "Celebration of Bill's Life" will follow at Axe Memorial United Methodist Church in Garland, Texas at 11:00 am with Reverend Ben Read officiating. Condolences will be received at www.eastgatefuneralhome.com If desired, memorials may be made to: VNA Hospice of McKinney @ 5601 Virginia Pkwy Suite 1 McKinney , TX 75070 or The Hearts and Hands Food Pantry at Axe Memorial Methodist Church 1700 W. Kingsley Rd. Garland, TX 75041