Doris Ruth Ballard

Doris Ruth Bowens Ballard, 67, was born in Temple, Texas was the daughter of Frankie Mae Williams Irving and Jimmy Bowens of Richard, TX.

She attended Kashmere High School and was a member of the Thunder Soul Marching Band under the direction of Conrad “Prof” Johnson. She graduated from Kashmere in 1968 and went on to attend Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, TX and later Abilene Christian College which is now Abilene Christian University.

After meeting in Abilene Texas in 1973, Doris married the love of her life airman Rickey Ballard in 1974 in Houston, TX at the Fifth Ward Church of Christ. Three years later they had a beautiful baby girl Maisha Kimberly Ballard. They would go on to live in Panama Central America, Tucson Arizona and later back to Texas after her daughter graduated from college.

Doris received a Bachelors from Abilene Christian and a Masters degree from the University of Phoenix. She worked as a probation officer and later was the first African American Housing Director for the city of Abilene. More recently she retired from the Texas Department of Agriculture after 20 years of Service as a Compliance Monitor with the school operations section of the food and nutrition program.

Doris was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She loved her pink, green, and her pearls! She was active with her local chapter Mu Theta Omega and loved to be in service to her community.

She valued spending time with her husband and grandchildren, she loved to complete 5Ks and was an avid walker. She enjoyed discussing politics, reading, and anything “techie.” She loved jewelry and shoe shopping but more importantly she loved God. Belton church of Christ was her church family and where she attended and served.

Doris is preceded in death by her father Jimmy Bowens. She is survived by her husband Rickey Ballard, her daughter Maisha Stroud (Andray Stroud), her mother Frankie Irving, Sisters Jimmie Bowens Mack, Cheryl Brown (James Brown), and Twana Henderson, brother and sister in laws Paula Ballard, Fredrick Ballard, Billy Ballard, Ernest Ray Ballard, Ernestine Ballard as well as a host of nieces and nephews.

Two of the joys of her life were her granddaughters Symphony Mikayla Stroud and Sianne Madison Stroud. She was an encourage to all and fought cancer with all her might and with a great attitude. Her family and friends will truly miss her.

Funeral services for Doris will be held on Thursday, January 18, 2017 at 11:00 AM at the Belton Church of Christ in Belton, Texas. Burial will follow at 1:00 PM at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen. A visitation will be held on Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at Dossman Funeral Home in Belton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Texas, 2224 Walsh Tarlton Ln. #200, Austin, Texas 78746.