March 21, 2012

Funeral for Erline Waddell Ballew, 87, of Hartselle will be Fri., March 23, at 2 p.m. at New Center Baptist Church with Bros. Ben Bates and Alfred Palmer Jr. officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.

Visitation will be Thur., March 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Burial will be in Bethel Baptist Church.

Mrs. Ballew died Wed., March 21, 2012, at Decatur General Hospital. She was born Nov. 24, 1924, in Morgan County to Lee Polk Waddell and Mollie Ann Bodley Waddell. She graduated from the former Morgan County High School and was a faithful member of New Center Baptist Church. She taught Sunday school for many years and worked at Hartselle Medical Center for 22 years. She was a member of the Morgan County Genealogical Society, United Society of the Daughters of the Confederacy and worked numerous hours as a volunteer at Morgan County Archives. She authored histories on the Waddell, Johnson, Bodley, Ballew and Gresham families and contributed numerous articles to “The Heritage of Morgan County,” which was published in 1998. She loved to spend time in her flower garden and with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who were her pride and joy.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Seth McCallen Ballew Sr.; four brothers, John, Claude, Albert and Oscar Waddell; and six sisters, Maude Pruitt, Lula Rhoades, Naomi Thomas, Bessie Bolin, Katie Hudson and Eunice Waugh.

She is survived by three sons, Seth Ballew Jr. and wife Ann of Hartselle, David Ballew Sr. and wife Debbie of Eva and Paul Ballew and wife Dana of Lawton, Okla.; three daughters, Maxine Ballew Franklin of Danville, Brenda Ballew McMinemon and husband Dale and Kathy Ballew Ray and husband Chuck, both of Hartselle; a brother, William Waddell Jr. of Falkville; a sister, Hattie Prince of Hartselle; 12 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be Michael Ballew, Jeff McMinemon, Patrick Ray, William Ballew, Chris Ballew, Mark Sapp, Kevin Beal and David Ballew Jr.