John Ballew

John Ballew, 96 passed away on Sunday, May 1, 2016.

There will be a visitation held from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines, Iowa.

John was born April 30, 1920 to Richard and Marie Ballew near Moravia, Iowa. He served in the U.S. Navy for seven years as Chief Storekeeper aboard the USS Cepheus AKA 18. John was a talented carpenter and had a couple of his remodeling jobs appear in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. He was an avid hunter and went fishing in Canada for over 55 years. John loved telling colorful stories of his childhood and WWII.

John is survived by his daughter, Deborah (Dave) Burford; grandchildren, Lynn (Jeremy) Bement, Rick (Darcy) Stougard, Tiffany Burford, and Haley (Nate) Funk; great-grandchildren, Kaylee (Tim) Deaton, Erin and Josh Knight, Michael and Kalli Stougard, Zac Zyzanski, and Sydney and Jon Bement.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances and daughter, Sandy Reeves.

We would like to give special thanks to family friend and caregiver, Shirley Scougal.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the charity of the donors’ choice in John’s memory.

John was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

He carried this message in his wallet:

“The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water and I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time, I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.”

Condolences may be expressed at:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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