Frances “Jean” Ballard

Frances “Jean” Ballard, after 94 years of living, was released from her earthly bonds here in Amarillo, Texas to take her place in Heaven with all the Hosts, on Saturday, November 4, 2023.

Jean was born as Frances Jean Bohreer on May 13, 1929, in Seattle, King County, Washington. Her mother was Frances Elizabeth Whitaker Bohreer and her father was John Cecil Bohreer, but due to difficult family circumstances, Jean was reared by her grandparents. Jean grew up in Seattle until her sixteenth birthday when she met a “handsome sailor” while roller skating. About three weeks later, the handsome sailor, George Hume Ballard, and Jean were married, and Jean soon found herself in the interesting new world of Amarillo, Texas where she would live for the duration of her life.

As a new young Texan, transplanted from Seattle, Jean had to learn how to navigate many new norms and life skills. Knowing almost nothing about living away from her family, Jean managed to thrive and work beside George on their farm and become a mother to their first son, Robert Steven. They eventually moved into the South Lawn area of Amarillo where Jean worked several jobs and had their other son Bruce Alan. Before she settled in with her career working at the post office using the letter sorting machines (she memorized every street and area code throughout Amarillo), she worked at Gattis Shoes, Piggly Wiggly, worked as a cosmetologist and instructor at Exposito School of Hair Design, and received her GED from Amarillo High School.

Jean was known to her friends and family as a cheerful, kind, loving and gracious woman who was always willing to help out. She was a quilter, and for many years she hosted the “Crafty Quilters” in her living room. She was a longtime member of South Lawn Baptist church. She enjoyed singing in the church choir, singing with the Sweet Adelines, playing in the church bell choir, and she loved to go square dancing. She loved her family very much and she had a ball being with her grandchildren, and later in life her great-grandchildren.

Jean was preceded into glory by her husband, George Ballard, and her eldest son, Robert Ballard.

Surviving members of Jean’s family include her son, Bruce Ballard and his wife Christine, their children Ashton, Breanne and her spouse Kristen; two other grandchildren, Benjamin Ballard, and Amanda Haynes and her spouse James; and two great-grandchildren, Ryan Hunter LaRue Haynes, and Cameron Alexander Octavius Haynes.

A celebration of Jean’s life will be held Saturday, November 18th, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at More Church located at 5511 Amarillo Blvd. W, Amarillo, TX. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors.