Rock Hill, SC – Carolyn Teresa Ballard, 71, passed away on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at her home.

Memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Lakewood Baptist Church, 3520 Mount Gallant Road, Rock Hill, SC 29732 with Reverend Jerry Devinney officiating. The family will receive friends following the service at the church. Burial will be private.

Born in Anderson, SC, October 12, 1949 Mrs. Ballard was the daughter of the late Joseph Carroll Kelly and the late Betty Fowler Kelly.  She was also preceded in death by her husband, Rickie Joe Ballard. She was a member of The Model United Nations, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Honor Society and Rock Hill For Peace.

Mrs. Ballard is survived by her two sons, Jason (Cheryl) Boulware and Jeremiah Ballard (Amanda) both of Rock Hill; her daughter, Farah (Ronald) Brazil of Catawba, SC; her brother, Joe Kelly of Rock Hill; three sisters, Cindy (Milton) Gibson and Mellisa (Allen) Wright both of Rock Hill, Marianna (Brian) Barfield of Indian Land, SC; ten grandchildren, Lauren, Ashley, Meagan, Gabbi, Maddi, Adara, Faith, Caleb, Peyton, and Gabriel and one great-grandchild, Giuliana; her best friend, Andrea Tommy.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Mrs. Carolyn Ballard’s name to Rock Hill for Peace, Carolina Peace Resource Center: https//carolinapeace.wordpress.com.

Condolences may be made at www.greenefuneralhome.net.

Her Comments from Her Profile:

Enrolled in Winthrop in '67-68 but dropped out after the first semester to make the "pilgrimage" to California with other "hippy" inclined friends. Landed in Hollywood, sold the Free Press newspaper on Hollywood Blvd / Sunset Strip, sought "enlightenment" through various illegal substances and returned home in '69 to Rock Hill to continue the quest for "normal" as I perceived it.  Married in '70 to Tom Boulware, had 2 children, divorced in '77. Worked for Holiday Inn in various middle management positions from 1970-1980.  Sang in folk/country band locally (house band at the Barn) and met my soul mate, Rickie Joe Ballard, whom I married in 1980 and had a son, Jeremiah, with in 1981.  After Joe was killed in a tank accident in '87 while serving in the National Guard, my life took another turn.  Went back to Winthrop, graduated in '91 with a BA in Pol. Sci., returned in '95 and attained my Master of Liberal Arts degree.  Figured out during these college years that I could write pretty well. Became a freelance writer, writing a column for a local arts/entertainment paper, monthly newsletter for the York Place children's home and finally was commissioned to write the 50-year history of Founders Federal Credit Union for their 2000 anniversary (book, "Odyssey of an American Dream") and an article for the Socialist Review. Finally figured out during this era that my mission in life was to become a "social justice activist," writing, protesting and enlightening through educational events on various social justice issues, Palestinian human rights being my biggest focus. I am now the chapter coordinator for Rock Hill for Peace, a chapter of the Columbia, SC, NGO, Carolina Peace Resource Center.  I suppose you could say I've come full circle.