Christine Carol Ballard
June 13th, 1944 - November 1st, 2021
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Christine's Obituary
Christine Carol Ballard of Portage, Michigan, passed away November 1, 2021 at Bronson Methodist Hospital from an extended respiratory illness. She was 77 years old.
Christine, known as Chris, Mom and Nana to her close family and friends, lived in Michigan for most of her life. A passionate advocate for children’s literacy, politics and the arts, Christine was a member of the Log Cabin Quilters and the Ladies Library Association, among other local organizations. She was a talented artist who made quilts and sketches inspired by nature and was also an ardent supporter of other local creators.
Christine attended St. Joseph High School in Saint Joseph, Michigan, where she made lifelong friends, many of whom attended her 75th birthday party in summer 2019. She earned a Bachelor’s and two Master’s degrees from Western Michigan University. Her working life as a librarian was varied and included jobs at Gull Lake High School in Richland, Michigan; Saint John’s International School of Brussels, Belgium, where she lived for two years; and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Christine’s diverse hobbies included a fascination with genealogical research, which allowed her to discover new information about her family, her heritage and the places she lived. Unsurprisingly, she was also dedicated to historical preservation, and supported many local preservation initiatives in Kalamazoo and beyond.
She also loved animals, especially cats, and made frequent donations to causes supporting cat rescue and welfare efforts. Her most recent feline companion, Iris, has relocated from Christine’s house into a new forever home.
Christine was preceded in death by her parents Dorothy Fern Boberg and James E. Ballard, Jr. and her brother Jerome D. Ballard. She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Ballard Schanker (son-in-law Larry Schanker), her brother, James R. Ballard, and her granddaughter, Gwen Schanker.
A profound – if not prominent – fixture in the Southwest Michigan community, Christine will be remembered for her compassion, her wit, and her willingness to face challenge with the decisive nature of someone who has lived through many hardships but still finds new things to learn.
Please join us as we remember & celebrate Christine's life, May 28, 2022 @ 12:00 P.M. at Riverview Cemetery, 2925 Niles Rd. St. Joseph, MI 49085. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Donations can be made in Christine’s memory to Animal’s Best Friend Fund, 12 Baskets Food Pantry, or any local organization supporting children’s literacy and early reading initiatives.
Links:
https://www.animalsbestfriendfund.org/<br> https://twelve-baskets.org/index.php/donations/<br>
Christine, known as Chris, Mom and Nana to her close family and friends, lived in Michigan for most of her life. A passionate advocate for children’s literacy, politics and the arts, Christine was a member of the Log Cabin Quilters and the Ladies Library Association, among other local organizations. She was a talented artist who made quilts and sketches inspired by nature and was also an ardent supporter of other local creators.
Christine attended St. Joseph High School in Saint Joseph, Michigan, where she made lifelong friends, many of whom attended her 75th birthday party in summer 2019. She earned a Bachelor’s and two Master’s degrees from Western Michigan University. Her working life as a librarian was varied and included jobs at Gull Lake High School in Richland, Michigan; Saint John’s International School of Brussels, Belgium, where she lived for two years; and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Christine’s diverse hobbies included a fascination with genealogical research, which allowed her to discover new information about her family, her heritage and the places she lived. Unsurprisingly, she was also dedicated to historical preservation, and supported many local preservation initiatives in Kalamazoo and beyond.
She also loved animals, especially cats, and made frequent donations to causes supporting cat rescue and welfare efforts. Her most recent feline companion, Iris, has relocated from Christine’s house into a new forever home.
Christine was preceded in death by her parents Dorothy Fern Boberg and James E. Ballard, Jr. and her brother Jerome D. Ballard. She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Ballard Schanker (son-in-law Larry Schanker), her brother, James R. Ballard, and her granddaughter, Gwen Schanker.
A profound – if not prominent – fixture in the Southwest Michigan community, Christine will be remembered for her compassion, her wit, and her willingness to face challenge with the decisive nature of someone who has lived through many hardships but still finds new things to learn.
Please join us as we remember & celebrate Christine's life, May 28, 2022 @ 12:00 P.M. at Riverview Cemetery, 2925 Niles Rd. St. Joseph, MI 49085. Those wishing to leave an online condolence may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Donations can be made in Christine’s memory to Animal’s Best Friend Fund, 12 Baskets Food Pantry, or any local organization supporting children’s literacy and early reading initiatives.
Links:
https://www.animalsbestfriendfund.org/<br> https://twelve-baskets.org/index.php/donations/<br>
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