Wayne Harding Ballard

 

Wayne Harding Ballard was a true “North Mecklenburg” person, born to Ray and Doris Ballard on September 11, 1944 and raised with his sister, Martha, on June Washam Road in Davidson.   He met the love of his life when Carol Davis came to live with her grandmother in Cornelius. Wayne and Carol married in 1964, welcomed daughter Stacey in 1969 and son Clint in 1972. They welcomed another son in 1996 when they met Ivan “Vanya” Bocharenko for the first time.   A business owner (WHBallard Construction), Wayne also earned his Private Pilot’s license and flew his own plane. Over the years, some of his spare time was spent racing Go-karts and motorcycles. Closer to nature he loved hiking in the woods, searching for arrowheads, and researching, transplanting and growing wildflowers from his parents’ homeplace. He also read his Bible every morning (at 5:30 a.m.).   Wayne always stood up for what he thought was right, serving as Deacon and teaching Sunday School at First Baptist Cornelius for decades. His service extended to the Cornelius Town Board and as a representative for the United Auto Workers’ Union.   Always full of ideas, he loved figuring things out, which served him well in the construction business. He was always working on a project (or ten).   Wayne was known as the best “hand-holder” (physically and emotionally) for all his family & friends. He loved being “Boppa” to Kendall, Caroline, Charlie and Cooper. If you knew him at all, you knew how much he loved his “sweetie,” Carol.   Wayne was predeceased by his parents, his sister, his daughter, Stacey, and his daughter-in-law, Katherine.   He is survived by his wife, Carol; his son, Clint, and children, Caroline and Cooper; his son-in-law, Ken Turrentine, and children, Kendall and Charlie; son Ivan (Vanya) Bocharenko; Martha’s children, Steve and Wendy, and Wendy’s children; many “favorite” cousins, and many lifelong friends whom he considered family.   A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Mt. Zion Methodist Church in Cornelius, NC, on Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.   Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.KepnerFH.com