Beth Ballard

Beth Ballard, 73, passed away on February 1, 2026. Memorials may be made in care of Leo Ballard, sent to the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Chariton. Services will be held at a later date and service details will be posted at that time.

Elizabeth Marie (Wright) Ballard was born on February 28, 1952, in Des Moines, IA, to Virgil Wright and Margaret (Guthrie) Wright. She grew up on a farm near Russell and attended Chariton High School where she graduated in the class of 1970. It was there in high school where she met the love of her life, Leo Ballard. Beth and Leo lived east of Derby for a while, then north of Chariton, eventually moving to the Millerton area for the past 20 years. They went on to have three beautiful children.

Beth's faith was very important to her. She was a longtime seamstress and loved to make clothes for her family including Halloween costumes, Barbie clothes and baby doll clothes. She sewed wedding dresses for many people.

She raised, trained, and rode horses and was a member of the Chariton Saddle Club. Over the years she also raised shelties, pugs, and pomeranians.

She was very creative and had many businesses that followed her artistic passions: making and selling ceramic dolls, teaching classes to do so. She was even featured in a magazine for her doll making and sewing skills. She also did oil and acrylic painting, played the guitar and accordion, quilted, enjoyed embroidery and needlework. She was a featured guest at Living History Farms with her spinning wheel. She was also a respiratory technician, and bank teller. She ran Abigail's Cottage Collectibles in Chariton and Jamesport as well as making YouTube videos on how to sew and quilt.

Beth will be greatly missed by her loving husband of 54 ½ years Leo Ballard; children: Sonya (Kyle) Wallace, Sean (Anne) Ballard, Scott (Jodie) Ballard; Grandchildren: Zach (Jessica) Ballard, Abigail (Kent) Stufflebeam, Keaten Ballard, Kolton Ballard, Lance Wallace, Blane Wallace, Tanner Ballard, Heidi (Jacen Reed) Ballard, Paige Ballard, Kya (Levi) Bahr, Theresa Monroe, Joe Monroe, Christy (Carson) Keltner, Abby Tuttle, Trent Tuttle, and Tyler Wilson; Great grandchildren: Lee, Zaylee, Luna, Wylder, Grayson, Benson, Nora, and baby Stufflebeam due in March; her special and beloved niece Shannon (Ryan) Woods and their children Zoie and Kai; many nieces and nephews; and Brother-in-law Harlan Ballard.

She was preceded in death by her parents: Virgil Wright and Margaret Snider; Siblings: Jim Wright, Gene Wright, and Joan Janes.