Larry Lee Ballard | 71 | Plymouth, Michigan

By Editor | March 9, 2022 |

Larry Lee Ballard, 71 of Plymouth, Michigan and formerly of Roodhouse, passed away Feb. 11, 2022 at Providence Ascension Hospital in Novi, Michigan.
Larry was born on Aug. 19, 1950 in Carrollton, Illinois, the son of Kenneth F. and Frances C. Ballard of Roodhouse. He was a 1968 graduate of North Greene High School and a 1972 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, where he was a member of Sigma Pi National Fraternity. He was also the first student assistant to work for IWU’s Sports Information Director, Ed Alsene. While at Wesleyan, he met his future wife, Judith Kasper, of Chicago, IL in 1970. They were married in Bloomington, Illinois on March 24, 1973 by two of his Sigma Pi fraternity brothers.
He is survived by his wife Judi, son Larry Jr. and wife Jeanette of Amherst, New Hampshire, and grandchildren Benjamin Shea, Samuel Kenneth, Natalie Judith, and Isobel Rey Ballard. Also surviving are his mother Frances of Roodhouse, and brothers Gary and wife Cheryl of Jacksonville, and Dale of Roodhouse, and nephew David Ballard of Carbondale, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his father Kenneth on July 1, 1983.
Larry started working at Ford Motor Credit Company, just two weeks after his graduation from Illinois Wesleyan. His career as a financial analyst took him to numerous parts of the country. During his career, he worked at offices in Hinsdale, IL; Park Ridge, IL; Lansing, IL; Atlanta, GA and Boston, MA before moving to Ford World Headquarters in 1992, where he retired in 2003.Larry, or “Gramps” as he was affectionately called by his grandchildren, deeply loved his family. He was an avid sports fan, whether it be professional baseball or collegiate basketball. His true passion was following Illinois Wesleyan basketball. Larry and Judi travelled many miles following Titan basketball once they moved back to the Midwest in 1992, including all 6 trips to the Division 3 Final Fours in Salem, Va. IWU has, indeed, lost a very loyal Titan.Cremation rites were accorded. In keeping with Larry’s wishes there is no formal service planned. In lieu of memorials, donations may be made in his honor to the Illinois Wesleyan University Athletic Department.