Robert "Bob" Ballard Jr., 79, of Princeton accepted his call home to be with the Lord, Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at the Deaconess Select Specialty Hospital in Evansville, IN.

Robert was a faithful member of the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Princeton where he served as a Deacon. He worked at Whirlpool Corp. for 10 years and retired from Ayershire Coal Mine after 15 years. He also was a bus driver #14 for the North Gibson School Corp. for a number of years. In addition to full time employment, Robert owned and managed BB's Bar-B-Que in Princeton, which began as the result of him taking his BBQ to co-workers who encouraged him to open his own business. Prior to marriage to Leatha Earline Lyles-Ballard, Robert was a drummer for the Micky Hughes Band who played early Blues. 

He was born on December 27, 1926 in Terre Haute, IN to Robert E. & Mattie Ballard, both deceased. Also preceding him in death were his brothers and sisters, Prestle Ballard, Margaret Wilson, Dorthy Bevins, Glisterine Penny, Bernadine Tribble, and Anges Smoot. 

Robert loved his family, who cherishes his memory and includes 4 sons, Robert Eugene Ballard III, of Jefferson, IA., William Pervis Ballard of Vincennes, Jan Earl Ballard of Princeton, and Jonathan Ray "JR" Ballard of Evansville; 2 daughters, Pamela Kay Ballard of Newburgh and Valena Rene Ballard-Paris of Springfield, Ohio; granddaughters, Eugenia Kay Ballard (which he raised as his own), Conisha Janai Ballard, and Dorthea E. Ballard; grandsons, Jurrien Eugene Markel and William Marque Ballard; and great grandchildren, Bilye and Zuri Huitt; 1 sister, Beatrice Bracken of Terre Haute, and a host of nieces, nephews and friends. 

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday March 27, 2006 at the Memorial Baptist Church in Evansville with the Pastor Adrian Brooks Sr. officiating. Burial will be at the Sand Hill Cemetery in Princeton. Friends may call from 3 until 7 PM on Sunday at the Colvin Funeral Home, which is in charge of arrangements and from 10 AM until service time on Monday at the church.