12/19/2019

Obituary for Janet E. Ballinger

Former Owner of Ballinger Funeral Home and Mother of Greg Ballinger, Funeral Director and Co-owner of Stofcheck-Ballinger Funeral Homes

Janet E. Ballinger, 73 of Marysville, died unexpectedly Thursday, December 19, 2019 at her home.

She was born September 23, 1946 in Delaware to the late Francis G. and Letha M. (Ewing) Johnson.

A 1964 graduate of Richwood High School, she was a cheerleader for four years. On December 18, 1966 she married her high school sweetheart, Richard M. Ballinger, in Pharisburg. She and Rick owned and operated the Ballinger Funeral Home in Richwood and Prospect for 19 years until his death in 1988. Following that, she continued to run the funeral home for another 19 years until her retirement in 2007. During that time, she managed to single-handedly raise three children while she continued operations of the funeral home and her true passion in life: running a horse farm. Few things brought Janet as much joy as caring for her horses and dogs and cats. Even after operations of the farm business ceased, she continued to care for her “four-legged children” for the duration of their natural lives.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Richwood. She had been active in the former Mt. Carmel Chapter 42 Order of the Eastern Star where she had served as the star point, Martha. Janet enjoyed traveling and seeing new places in her later life.

She is survived by her three children, Greg (Gina) Ballinger, Richwood; Kristen (John) Amschel Ballinger, Granville; Marcus (Erin) Ballinger, Englewood; eight grandchildren, Avery, Derek and Sienna Ballinger; Julia, Olivia, Maia and Anders Helling; and Alex Ballinger; a brother, Donald (Violet) Johnson, East Liberty; Carol Ann Butcher (Jerry Arnold), Richwood; Jeanine (Daniel) Vejil, Houston, Texas; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be Monday, December 23, 2019 at 11:00 AM at the Stofcheck-Ballinger Funeral Home, Richwood  with Pastor Joe Rhea officiating. Burial will follow in Claibourne Cemetery. Friends may call on Sunday from 2 to 4 PM at the funeral home in Richwood.

Memorial gifts may be made to New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, 3293 Wright Rd., Laura, OH 45337 (www.horseadoption.com)

Condolences and remembrances may be expressed at www.stofcheck-ballinger.com.