Julia Elizabeth (Dahlgren) Ballard
BALLARD, Julia Elizabeth (Dahlgren), 87, PRESQUE ISLE, at Houlton, April 20, 2014. A celebration of her life will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, May 3, at the Presque Isle Congregational Church. Arrangements are in the care of of Duncan-Graves Funeral Home, Presque Isle.
PRESQUE ISLE – Julia Elizabeth (Dahlgren) Ballard, 87, passed away peacefully at Madigan House, Houlton, on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014, with her daughter by her bedside. Julia was born on May 3, 1926, in Presque Isle, ME, the daughter of Godfrey and Grace (Wilson) Dahlgren.
She grew up in Washburn, ME, and graduated from Washburn High School in 1944. After high school, she attended the Maine School of Commerce in Bangor for two years. After college, she worked as a secretary at Aroostook Potato Growers.
She married Vincent R. Ballard on February 18, 1947, and they were very blessed to share 65 wonderful years together.
Julia was an active member in her community. She was a member of the Probus Club, Lionettes and a 50 year member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and Lunar Chapter 126 Order of the Eastern Star. She and her husband were members of the Presque Isle Congregational Church where Julia was active in the Manuka Club and taught Sunday school. She also volunteered her time to many non-profit and charitable organizations throughout her lifetime.
The most important part of Julia’s life was her family and friends. She was an excellent cook and homemaker, and loved to entertain family and friends at home and at camp on Echo Lake. Her favorite pastimes were playing bridge, traveling and playing golf at the Presque Isle Country Club, where she once shot a “hole in one”!
In addition to her parents, Julia was predeceased by her husband, Vincent R. Ballard; her sisters, Eva and husband, Rodney Gurley, Helen and husband, Lynwood McCready, and Beatrice Dahlgren.
She is survived by her daughter, Sharon and husband, Jerald Johnson of Presque Isle; grandsons, David and Christopher Beaulieu of Portland, ME; granddaughters, Mary R. Cameron of Jamaica Plains, MA, and Sarah Stone and husband, Isaac and two precious great-grandchildren, Rachel and Asher, all of Winslow, ME; a sister, Edith Dahlgren of Warwick, RI; a nephew, Michael Gurley and wife, Royann of Gig Harbor, WA; and a niece, Lynn McCready and husband, Bob Manna of Peabody, MA.
The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the staff at Madigan House where Julia resided during the past two years. She was very happy and content there receiving excellence of care, lots of love, compassion, kindness and respect. We would also like to thank Hospice of Aroostook for their provision of comfort and care during the last few weeks of Julia’s life.
A celebration of Julia’s life will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, May 3, 2014, at the Presque Isle Congregational Church, 27 Church Street, Presque Isle, with Rev. Timothy Stohlberg officiating. Music will be provided by Lorraine Cullins and her daughter, Crista Nelson and Organist, Dan Ladner. A luncheon and time of fellowship will be held in the church reception hall immediately following the service. Interment will be at Riverside Extension Cemetery, Washburn, later this spring. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Julia’s memory to the Madigan House Memorial Fund, 93 Military Street, Houlton, ME 04730 or the House of Comfort, P.O. Box 867, Presque Isle, ME 04769. Online condolences may be expressed at www.duncan-graves.com.
