Graydon Ballard, 82, of Tecumseh, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009, at his home. He was born Aug. 20, 1927, to Oliver and Lillie Mae (Clement) Ballard in Hamilton, Ala. On Sept. 2, 1950, he married Bonnie J. Eggert Flint. Graydon enjoyed working in their yard and garden and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
Surviving are his wife, Bonnie; one son, Martin J. (Alice) Flint of Tecumseh; one grandson, Martin G. Flint of Ann Arbor, Mich.; two granddaughters, Kasandra W. Flint of Clinton and Minerva M. Alvarez of Mt. Pleasant, Mich.; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Therman (LaNell) Hood and Henry Edsel Ballard; and one sister, Evelyn (Lawrence) Creque.
Graydon served on active duty 5-1/2 years in the U.S. Navy, serving on the Destroyer, USS Robert K. Huntington DD781 as a radioman 2/C, and also at the 13th Naval District in Seattle, Washington as a teletype operator. He worked after discharge at Hurd Lock, Bohn 24, and retired from Citizen Gas Fuel Co., a member of Local 727 SE.U.
Graydon and Bonnie have enjoyed raising a large garden for over 50 years, raising everything from okra to sweet corn. They have also enjoyed visiting in Florida and Alabama, listening to Country, Blue Grass, and Southern Gospel music, especially during the 50s at Buck Lake Ranch in Angola, Indiana and Frontier City Park in Onsted, Michigan.
Funeral services were held on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010, at the Anderson Funeral Home, Adrian, with the Rev. Greg Burdine officiating. Interment was in the Macon Cemetery in Macon, Mich., with full graveside Military Rites conducted by the Tecumseh American Legion Underwood-Orr Post #34 and the VFW Post #4187.
