Funeral services for Margie Welch Ballard, 77, of Nacogdoches, will be held 2:00 pm Saturday, Dec. 3 at Shafer Funeral Home in Lufkin.
Margie was born on July 23, 1945, in Lufkin, Texas to Claude C. Welch and Pauline (Kelley) Welch and peacefully passed away on Friday, Nov. 25 at her daughter’s home in League City, Texas.
Margie was raised in Diboll, Texas, and graduated from Diboll High School in the class of 1963. She was a member of the Diboll Marching Band where she played French horn and served as a twirling majorette. Upon graduation, Margie attended beauty college and earned her cosmetology license. She worked as a beautician in Lufkin for many years. Margie was married to Bobby Glenn Griffin from Center, Texas 1966-1976. During those years, she gave birth to her two daughters, Jeri & Jana Griffin.
In 1976, Margie moved to Nacogdoches where she joined the Beta Sigma Phi sorority. The sisters of Alpha Nu Delta were her friends for decades and shared numerous good times together. Through community service, fundraising, and social events, her sorority sisters made a difference in Margie's life and the Nacogdoches community during the 1970s and 1980s.
During the 1990s, Margie worked for Woden Elementary as the school secretary. She enjoyed being a Woden Eagle and supported the school basketball teams as an avid fan. Margie loved to travel, and she visited many places around the world.
Margie is survived by her daughters, Jeri Meredith and husband Hardy, of San Augustine, and Jana Poole and husband David, of League City. She is also survived by three grandsons Heath Meredith and wife Ashton, Blake Meredith and wife Karen, Garrett Few, and one granddaughter Natalie Poole. She was blessed with three great-granddaughters Clara Meredith, Isabelle Meredith, and Rylie Meredith who survive their "Granny."
Additional survivors include her husband Hulon Ballard of Nacogdoches, her brother Claude Edward Welch of Lufkin and her only niece Rebecca Welch Calahan, and husband John of Nacogdoches. Margie was preceded in death by her parents Claude C. Welch, Pauline Kelley Welch, and older brother Tom Kelley Welch. She was also preceded in death by her sister-in-law Marjorie Brown Welch.
The family would like to extend heartfelt appreciation for the loving staff at Spectrum Hospice for the exceptional care and compassion shown over the past 3 months.
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