Leon Tad Ballard

Leon Tad Ballard died peacefully at the home of his son in Chandler, Maricopa County, Arizona with his family at his side following a lengthy illness. He was 83 years old. Leon was born, the first of five children, on April 5, 1929 in Snowflake, Navajo County, Arizona to the late John Henry and Thora Agnes (Shumway) Ballard. He was raised in Snowflake and attended Snowflake High School. Following his high school graduation, Leon served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Southern States Mission. Following his mission, he attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Leon was a United States Army veteran of the Korean War and served honorably. Leon married his eternal sweetheart, Flora Miller, in the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on November 21, 1951. They most recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary together. He and Flora lived in Fullerton, California for over 40 years where he was employed professionally as a business manager. He was active in The Church throughout his life and spent much of his time in service as a bishop, stake president, mission president and, most recently, served as the first president of the Snowflake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Leon is survived by: his wife, Flora Ballard of Snowflake, Arizona; 5 children: Kevin (Mary) Ballard of Gilbert, Arizona, John (Sharon) of Chandler, Arizona, Michelle Ballard of Fullerton, California, Cecelia (Robert) Corry of Sandy, Utah, Matthew (Michelle) Ballard of Littleton, Colorado; 3 sisters: Sue Wood of Tempe, Arizona, Cheryl Ballard of Mesa, Arizona, Lonna Ballard of Utah, 1 brother, Jim (Kristine) Ballard of Snowflake, Arizona; 19 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren with another on the way. The public visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., on Thursday, June 21, 2012 at the Main Street Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 48 N. Main Street in Snowflake, Arizona. The funeral service will begin promptly at 11:00 A.M., Friday, June 22, 2012 also at the Main Street Chapel, where additional visitation will be 1 hour prior. The concluding service, including military honors, and interment will follow at the R.V. "Mike" Ramsay Memorial Cemetery in Snowflake, Arizona. The Ballard family would like to send a special "Thank-you" out to Hospice Compassus as well as Hospice of The Valley, for the sweet and tender care they gave Leon and for making him feel comfortable during these past several months. They also wish to thank everyone for your expressions of sympathy expressed through thought and deed and are especially grateful for all the prayers offered up on their behalf.