Edwin J. “Ed” Ballard

HUTCHINSON - Edwin J. "Ed" Ballard, age 85, of Hutchinson, formerly of Winnebago, died Friday, July 18, 2008, at his home in Hutchinson.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, July 23, 2008, at 2 p.m. at Spencer-Owen Funeral Home in Winnebago, with Larry Ballard and Rev. David Ballard officiating. Burial will be in Rosehill Cemetery, Winnebago.

Visitation time will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Spencer-Owen Funeral Home in Winnebago.

Memorial services will also be held at Riverside Assembly of God in Hutchinson at 10 a.m., Thursday, July 24, 2008.

Edwin was born on a farm 6 miles north of Danube, MN, on February 28, 1923, the son of C. Ray and Katherine "Kate" (Seehusen) Ballard. In 1934 the family moved to a farm near Winnebago and then into Winnebago in 1938. Edwin graduated from Winnebago High School in 1942 and was later married to his high school sweetheart, Beth Parsons on July 26, 1942. He worked for the canning company harvesting peas and picking sweet cornthen left for Detroit, Michigan where he worked in a defense plant. He entered the Navy on March 12, 1943 where he was stationed at Farragut, Idaho and later at the University of Oklahoma at Norman, training as an aircraft mechanic. He worked at the Naval Air Station in Norman, Oklahoma until being discharged at the end of the war in December, 1945.

Edwin went into plumbing and heating and sheet metal business in Winnebago, following the war, until moving to New Ulm in 1959 to work for Eyrich Plby. & Htg. Co. In 1965 he went to work for Kraft foods and on onsite plumber and utility mechanic. He retired from Kraft foods in 1978 due to health problems and moved to St. Louis Park where he worked for some friends installing windows. He retired permanently in 1985. He had enjoyed living at the Village Co-op in Hutchinson since 1997. He was an avid gardener and deer hunter.

Edwin is survived by his son, Larry (& Violet) Ballard of Milton, Wisconsin, daughter, Kathryn (& Tom) Lentz of Stacy, MN, son, Ken (& Jane) Ballard of Darwin, MN, son, David (& Becky) Ballard of Duluth, sister, Alice (& Howard) Myers of Jacksonville Beach, Florida; 14 grandchildren, 3 stepgrandsons; sister-in-law Avis Butler and her husband Eldon of Winnebago; and several great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by hisparents; wife, Beth in 1995; a brother, Lester Ballard; and one daughter, Sharon Ballard.