October 18, 2014

Funeral for John Paul Ballew, 66, of Lawton will be Fri., Oct. 24, at 2 p.m. at New Center Baptist Church with the Revs. Alfred Palmer and Ben Bates officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.

Burial will be in Bethel Baptist Cemetery. Visitation will be Thur., Oct. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Mr. Ballew died Sat., Oct. 18, 2014, at Oklahoma University Medical Center. He was born Nov. 1, 1947, in Morgan County to Seth McCallen Ballew, Sr. and Nancy Erline Waddell Ballew. Mr. Ballew attended elementary School at Plainview and graduated in 1965 from Morgan County High School. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Athens College and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1970. He held positions at several banks in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Oklahoma. Most recently, he served as Data Processing Inc., Sr. Vice President/ I.T. Manager for City National Bank in Lawton, Okla. He was co-founder and treasurer of the Ballew Family Association of American. Mr. Ballew was a member of Lawton First Assembly where he and Dana were Biblical marriage counselors. He was a gentle, loving, caring husband, father, brother and friend. He enjoyed golf, genealogy, dancing, family reunions, talking with old friends and discussing the Bible, but the light of his life was his lovely daughter, Alannah. Mr. Ballew fought a valiant fight against cancer, faithfully leaning on God until the time he was taken to his heavenly home. He was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife, Dana Ballew of Lawton, Okla.; a daughter, Alannah Morgan Ballew of Lawton, Okla.; two step sons, Robert Beckett of Berkley, Calif. and Richard Beckett (Chrissy) of Hollywood, Fla.; two brothers, Seth Ballew, Jr. (Ann) of Hartselle and David Ballew, Sr. (Debbie) of Eva; three sisters, Maxine Franklin of Danville, Brenda McMinemon (Dale) of Hartselle and Kathy Ray (Chuck) of Hartselle; grandchildren, Anthony, Nicholas and Alicia; sister-in-law, Terri Dorta (David) of Southwest Ranches, Fla.; and many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Michael Ballew, Jeff McMinemon, Kevin Beal, Patrick Ray, William Ballew, Robert Beckett. Richard Beckett David Dorta and Howard Taylor.

In lieu of flowers, family requests that memorial contributions be made to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.