Retha O. Ballew

Retha O. Ballew, age 78, of Fairfield, passed away at Lakeridge Villa on Tuesday, September 22, 2009. She was born in Clayborne County, Tennessee on October 7, 1930 the daughter of Lloyd and Sarah (Green) McNew. A homemaker, Retha worked in foster child care for 15 years. On November 11, 1950 in Blue Ridge, Georgia she married Blayne E. Ballew who passed away on November 22, 1999.

She is survived by her daughter, Starr (Ricky) Bender of Cincinnati; her son, Robert (Virginia) Ballew of Middletown; grandchildren, Rickey Bender and Johnna Stewart; her mother-in-law, Tennie Ballew of Harrogate, Tennessee; Brothers-in-law, Earl (Marie) Ballew of Hamilton, Roger (Karen) Ballew of Bloomington, Indiana, and Clarence (Kathleen) Ballew of Dillsboro, Indiana; sisters-in-law, Carol (James) Lawson of Tazewell, Tennessee and Ethel Fuller of Spring, Texas, Helen Rogers of Blue Ridge, Georgia, Retha Bolton of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Grace Sharp of Harrogate, Tennessee; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a great-granddaughter, Ava Starr; 3 brothers, 2 sisters, and 6 brothers-in-law and 3 sisters-in-law.

Visitation will be held at Brown-Dawson Funeral Home, 330 Pershing Avene, on Thursday, September 24, 2009 from 6:00 PM until time of funeral service at 8:00 PM with Pastor Paul Marcum of Fellowship Christian Center officiating. A committal service will be held at Rose Hill Burial Park on Friday at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Crossroads Hospice, 4360 Glendale-Milford Road., Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.