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Richard Ballew Obituary
SALLEY, SC - Dr. Richard "Dick" Osborne Ballew, 82, died on May 16, 2016 following an extended illness.
Dr. Ballew is survived by Nancy, his beloved wife of 56 years, their son Richard Martin Ballew and his wife Helen Minnich Ballew of Poolesville, MD and their daughter Angela Kathryn Clifton and her husband Paul Kenneth Clifton II of Salisbury, NC; four grandchildren Daniel William Ballew and Michael Philip Ballew of Poolesville, MD and Sarah Esther Clifton and Emma Anne Clifton of Salisbury, NC.
Dr. Ballew was born on April 22, 1934 in Little Rock, AR to the late Shuford Osborne and Tommie Catherine Cobb Ballew. He was an Eagle Scout and attended the University of Tennessee, where he received his Medical Doctorate degree. He served in the US Public Health Service from 1958-60 in SC and later in private medical practice in Watertown, TN and Huntsville, AL. He returned to SC in 1968, where he worked for the SC DHEC as a clinical physician, medical director, and tuberculosis (TB) consultant before retiring in 2000. He continued working part-time as a TB consultant until 2015. Dr. Ballew contributed immensely to the state's TB control efforts. During his tenure, the state saw a reduction from 600 TB cases per year to about 100 per year. His contribution to this successful story were immense and were especially recognized by specialists in the world of TB control.
In addition to his public health service, he was also active in his community and church. He served for over 10 years as the Cardinal Newman High School football team physician. In his church, he served for many years in lay leadership, as a certified lay speaker, and as a Sunday School teacher.
He will be remembered as a caring physician, loving husband, father and grandfather.
The family wishes to express their gratitude all of the staff of Palmetto Health Baptist in Columbia, SC for their loving care and support during Dr. Ballew's illness. In particular, we give thanks for the love and support of Dr. David Tribble and Dr. Ben Tribble and their staff over many years.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 pm Friday in the chapel of Blizzard Funeral Home 163 Main Street South, Wagener, SC 29164. The Funeral Service will be held 3 pm Saturday at Andrew Chapel UMC, 210 Andrew Chapel Rd, Swansea SC.
Condolences to the Ballew family may be made online at www.blizzardfuneralhome.com
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Richard Ballew
May 22, 2016
Dearest Nancy, Children and wives, grandchildren...our hearts are heavy at your loss and our loss with the death of doctor, friend, former neighbor and friend across the miles.
We were saddened some years ago at the news you were leaving Huntsville, AL and moving to S C. Yet our friendship survived the distance and became more precious.
His influence in Huntsville was awesome and real even though of a shorter duration than in S C.
We long to be with you at this time...remembering the special gift of Dick's coming to Mobile to help and comfort our family when Bo's mother died. He was serving food, making people comfortable, providing transportation and even washing dishes as he ministered to our family. That was the greatest gift of the many he and you gave us. He truly had a servant's heart and lived his beliefs.
Your strength in the Lord will be valuable to you as you began experiencing life without Dick's earthly presence. The assurance of reunion in God own time and the precious remembrances of earthly times together will provide hope and healing.
May you rest in the promises of comfort and of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings to all of you,
Bo and Pat Cassity Huntsville, AL
Janice Goodman
May 21, 2016
Kat, keeping you & all of your family in our thoughts and prayers. Our deepest sympathy, Janice, Tommy, Justin and Tyler Goodman
Denise Cone
May 19, 2016
Mrs. Ballew and family,
I was fortunate enough to work with Dr Ballew for several years at DHEC with the TB Team. He was such a wealth of knowledge and always enjoyed teaching. He frequently told stories of ventures to the flower shows for your prize winning flowers. Losing him is a great loss to public health and the world! I can say he absolutely had the most beautiful and legible handwriting for an MD that I have ever seen! Please know your family is in my thoughts and prayers.
TB Team Celebrates 78th Birthday!
Denise Cone
May 19, 2016
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Donna McCarter
May 19, 2016
Mrs. Ballew, My deepest sympathy. I love you both so much. Such a good man. I am so sorry for your loss. May God wrap his loving arms around you and the family and friends. I am a phone call away. Dr. Ballew will be greatly missed by many. I thank God for the privilege of knowing you.
Ron Rolett
May 19, 2016
Dear Mrs. Ballew and family, I knew Dick for the 23 years I worked at DHEC. He contributed greatly to the agency, to the people of South Carolina, and to his work colleagues. He was a rock and an inspiration! He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.
Ron Rolett, Celo, NC
Lu Bickley
May 19, 2016
Dear Mrs. Ballew and family,
I worked with Dr. Ballew at the Lexington County Health Department. He was a fine person. Sending you my sympathy and prayers.
Jean Jackson
May 19, 2016
Mrs. Ballew
I had the honor of working with Dr. Ballew for a number of years at DHEC.. He was a bright and shinning star and we LOVED him a lot. So very sorry for you loss. May your warm memories help to ease the sadness of his passing.
Betty and Robert
May 19, 2016
Dear Nancy, Angela, and Rick....
Not sure you'll ever fully know how special Dr. Ballew was to all of us in the TB world of healthcare. He was such a valuable resource and just a genuinely dear man. I'm sorry we all had lost touch after we returned to Charleston in the early 2000s, but his memory lives on forever within us. May he rest in peace now, good and faithful servant! And may you all be comforted in your mourning; you're in our prayers for that. God's Peace and Love be with you.
Charlene King
May 19, 2016
Mrs. Ballew, we are so sorry for your loss. Dr. Ballew was a special person and we all loved him. Please know you're in our thoughts and prayers.
Dr. J. Talley Parrott and Staff
December 2016 - Retirement Party
Debra Ray
May 19, 2016
To Nancy, Ricky, Angela, Helen, Paul and his beloved grandchildren. I am so sorry for your loss of your husband, father, father-in-Law and G-Daddy. Dr Ballew was a special physician and he was loved by many of his DHEC Family. We saw his devotion to the care of his patients and his great teaching abilities for his nurses. I loved him as a physician and a friend. He was like family to me.He will be greatly missed by all.
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