Catherine Blanding Ballard, also referred to lovingly as "Donkey", was born on June 8 ^th 1927, in Alcolu South Carolina to (the late) Flander Blanding and Bessie Schrode Blanding.

Catherine comes from a family of ten siblings. She was the "baby girl" and the last of her siblings. The Blandings were proud people, they were spiritual, loving, kind, empathetic, and took pride in the fact that they were a part of the southern families that owned their property. Catherine attended Lincoln High School.

Catherine and Ishmel were part of that "Great Black Migration" of Southern families looking for jobs and opportunities in the north. Ishmel attempted several jobs, but Catherine was eventually left to raise the children on her own. She worked tirelessly working domestically, while taking care of her children. Fast forwarding Mom dedicated her life to her children and grandchildren. In those days a lot of grandmothers raised their grands in one way or another she was no exception; Marcus, Fatima, Kereama, Jennifer, and Larae stayed with her until they were old enough to take care of themselves.

In retrospect we would be remorse if we didn't mention Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church in our early years where it all started. "Mother, Mom, or Mamma" is what we called her, depending on which child you asked; she use to get us all dressed up in our Sunday best for church. We would run to get to Sunday school with the few pennies or nickels that were given to us to put into the Church plate. The pennies that didn't get put into the Church plate went on an ice cream cone at the Dairy Queen that was right in front of the church, right behind Grandma's house.

Mother spent her final days with her daughter Lorand and son-in-law Ralph, these were cherished moments. Mother was surrounded by her loved ones when God called her home on Friday, January 26 ^th, 2018 at 7:17 P.M.

She was the wife of the late Ishmel Tiller Ballard. Catherine is survived by; her loving children, Regina Mack, Diane Wimbush, Lorand B. Kenon, Sylvia Steward, Thomasina Green, and her son Eugene Ballard.  As well as thirty grand children, ninety five great grands, and thirty nine great great grands.

Catherine had several children that preceded her, Vera Ann Ballard Jackie Mason Lawyer, Ishmel Ballard Jr, Larry Donell Ballard, John Calvin Ballard, Bodilly Ballard, and Peter Rooster Ballard

All ten of her siblings preceded her, Jessie Blanding, Emma Nelson, Louise Mack, Liza Stokes, Nora Ayers, Richard Blanding, Tucker Blanding, Flanden Blanding Jr, and Peter Rooster Blanding.

Public Viewing will be held on Friday, February 2, 2018 from 2-6pm at Job's Mortuary.

Mrs. Ballard will be placed in the church on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 10am for viewing until the hour of service.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 11am at Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, 805 S Harvin Street, Sumter, SC, with Pastor Marion Newton, Officiating.

Interment will follow in Greenhill Baptist Church Cemetery, Alcolu, SC.

Family will receive friends at 120 Rosecliff Cirle, Columbia, SC 29061