Joanne Munn Ballard

Joanne Munn Ballard, 88, of Morehead City, formerly of Charlotte, passed away Saturday, July 8, 2023.

Joanne was born on March 29, 1935, to Lester Leroy Munn and Oma Neal Munn in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Her graveside service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, July 13th, at Forest Lawn East in Matthews, NC. The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., Tuesday, July 11th, at Munden Funeral Home, in Morehead City.

Joanne graduated from Rock Hill High School in Rock Hill, SC.  Joanne was chosen to be in the beauty section of her high school yearbook.  Joanne was a member of the school band and played the saxophone.  She was also a member of the school chorus.  Joanne and her dad would perform musical duets in area churches.  Joanne would sing and play the piano and her dad would play the violin.

After high school graduation, Joanne attended Anderson Junior College, Carson-Newman College, and then graduated from Elon College in 1959 with a B.A. in English and Music.  While at Anderson College she was a member of the college choir and the president of the Baptist Student Union.  During her time at Carson-Newman, Joanne met her future husband, the Reverend Dr. James H. Ballard (Jim).  They met when both were singing at a Philomathean Literary Society program in November 1955, and were married in May 1956.

Joanne returned to school several years later and received a master’s degree from UNC-Greensboro in Education and became a licensed marriage and family therapist.  She retired after 18 years as a family counselor with Eckerd Youth Alternatives.  In her retirement she enjoyed gardening, traveling and editing manuscripts written by Jim.  She also conducted education tours and ushered at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte.

Churches served by Jim and Joanne, where Joanne often served as organist, pianist, choir director and Sunday school teacher.

Cane Creek Baptist Church, Hillsborough, NC

Pisgah Forest Baptist Church, Pisgah Forest, NC

Morningside Baptist Church, Asheville, NC

Clinchfield Baptist Church, Marion, NC

Main Street Baptist Church, Hendersonville, NC

First Baptist Church, Hialeah, Florida

Holly Hill Baptist Church, Burlington, NC

Sharon Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC

Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC

From March 1965 until October 1967, Joanne and Jim served as missionaries to South Brazil.

Joanne is survived by one brother, Randy Munn (Janice) of Rock Hill, SC, brother-in-law, Frederick P. Ballard  (JoAnn) of Hiddenite, NC; three children, Carmen Maddrey (Ben) of Morehead City, NC, Hal N. Ballard (Angela) of Charlotte, NC, and David A. Ballard of Charlotte, NC; five grandchildren, Meagan Humphries (Craig) of Inman, SC, Nicole Vazquez (Michael) of Charlotte, NC, Benjamin Maddrey (Brandi) of Yorktown, VA, Samantha Ballard of Charlotte, NC and Kristen Ballard of Charlotte, NC; 6 great grandchildren, Layla , Hudson  and Brady Humphries of Inman, SC, Greyson and Kailyn Quom of  Yorktown, VA and Ryder Vazquez of Charlotte, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made in Joanne’s memory to the NC Baptist on Mission-Disaster Relief Ministry, Box 1107, Cary, NC  27512.

The family expresses much gratitude and appreciation to the staff of Carteret Home Health and Hospice and to a special caregiver Cathy Hudson.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., Morehead City, NC.