Beloved funeral director remembered by friends and family

Feb. 7—MIDDLETOWN — After complications from hip surgery nearly took her father's life, Kayla Hall (nee Ballard) and the Ballard family vacationed at the lake, not knowing it would be his last.

Such was the story of George Myron "Marty" Ballard Jr., longtime director of Ballard and Sons Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Ballard died Monday morning from complications due to a surgery. Hall, her husband, Tim, and other family members gathered around the hospital bed as he breathed his last.

"We were able to walk him up to the gates of Heaven and let him go," Tim said.

"He started to let go every time we told him he could let go with Jesus; his numbers would just drop," Kayla said.

Ballard's death came only 12 to 15 hours after his admission to the hospital, said Tim.

Kayla said she'll miss her dad calling every day to ask if she needed anything or to tell his 6-year-old grandson good night via FaceTime.

"He will be sorely missed," said Penny J. Price, a longtime friend of Ballard's.

Price said she and Ballard were like family; he even called her "sis."

The news of his death left her heartbroken and in disbelief.

"He just seemed like such a vital, amazing person. He was always there for everybody. I just can't imagine what it will be like without him there."

Price remembered him being there for her when her mother died. Not only was he there, he gave her one of his famous hugs.

Like a good "sis," she returned the favor for Ballard after his mother died in October 2018.

Ballard was a man of many hats, including pastor and mortician.

Price and Michael Owens of Owens Memorial Services in Alexandria described Ballard's funeral directing as a ministry of its own; a vision Owen applies to his own business

It wasn't merely deep faith that brought them together but a mutual love for classic ambulances.

After Ballard purchased a 1969 Cadillac ambulance, which he named "Dorothy" after his late mother, Owens decided to get in on the fun.

"When I saw that he purchased that beautiful red and white Cadillac, it piqued my interest," he said.

Owens located a 1970 Cadillac ambulance, which he named "Bessie."

Both vehicles were featured in various parades and competitions, including the Middletown Fall Festival Parade.

Losing Marty was like losing a brother, Owens said, his voice cracking through tears.

Though gone from the Earth, his legacy of love lives on. The best way to live it out, Owens said, is to give hugs and say, "I love you."

On the business side of things, Ballard's wife, Gina, and their son Ryan, will continue working in the business, said Kevin Brown, owner of Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service of New Castle and Knightstown, which acquired Ballard and Sons Funeral Home in 2021.

Follow Caleb Amick on Twitter @AmickCaleb. Contact him at caleb.amick@heraldbulletin.com or 765-648-4254.