Thomasine Ballard Drayton-Damm

Thomasine Drayton-Damm was the first born to Tommy and Gernell Ballard on July 15, 1947.

Thomasine was a vital part of a large loving family that consisted of one brother and five sisters. She lived in Atlanta, Georgia before moving to Santa Barbara, California in 1960.

Thomasine attended Santa Barbara Junior High and graduated from Santa Barbara High in 1965. After graduation, she attended Santa Barbara Business College.

Thomasine worked at the Black Studies Department and as a Loan Coordinator at the University of California, Santa Barbara for twenty-nine years.

Thomasine's childhood church home was Ariel Bowen Methodist Church in Atlanta, where she participated in Sunday School, church recitals, and morning service. When she moved to Santa Barbara, she joined Lewis Chapel CME church and was active in Sunday School, Christian Youth Fellowship and singing in the choir.

Thomasine enjoyed spending time with family, especially the Friday night sister parties where she was an avid bid whist player. She was a loving sister and friend. Thomasine has two children, Rashun and TaNai from her first marriage.

Thomasine moved to Salem, Oregon in 2005 to be closer to her sister Josephine Harris, and Josephine's husband Garland Harris. Her organizational skills were quickly put to work in congregations helping people at Pauline Memorial AMD church where she spent many years as a much-love Deaconess.

Thomasine met her husband Alvin when they each tried to outlast the other on adjacent treadmills. Both claimed they outlasted the other. The argument ended in 2015 when they married in Yachats, OR at the Adobe Beach Resort. The couple enjoyed many miles of great conversations as they explored Oregon and Washington state exploring little towns and out of the way spaces.

They spent hours discussing the adventures each had, raising their families and loving their grandchildren.

In recent years, when health allowed, Thomasine faithfully attended in-home gospel meetings and bible studies with husband Alvin. Thomasine had a wonderful memory for names of many servers at eateries and other stops all across Oregon and Washington. Her courage and direct approach to life encouraged many and her memory for names put a cherry on top of every stop they made in their travels.

Thomasine is survived by her husband, Alvin Damm, and her sisters, Sarah McNealy and Christine Simms, her son Rashun Drayton (Holly) and daughter TaNai Drayton, two granddaughters, Riley and Kaia, and many nieces and nephews and all of Alvin's extended family. Thomasine will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Memorial services will be held Monday March 31st at 3:00 pm in City View Funeral Home.