Phyllis Audry Whitbeck Ballard

Phyllis Audry Whitbeck Ballard passed away surrounded by family peacefully the evening of March 19, 2020.

Born November 21, 1923 to Earnest and Fanny Whitbeck in Hampden, North Dakota, Phyllis was the youngest of 7 children.  She graduated from Devils Lake High School in 1942 and with her friend Vivian went to Tacoma, WA where they shared an apartment and she worked in the laundry room at a government building which she said was “good money for being war time”.  Many of those who knew her did not know she enlisted in the United States Marines for a short time while in Washington and was Honorably Discharged June 2, 1944.

When she moved to Salt Lake City, Utah one of her jobs was bottling pills at a factory.  She had many friends and they enjoyed city life.  Phyllis married Vernon Lyle Tollefson in Salt Lake City on July 20, 1946.  Vernon passed away October 16, 1948 from illness he contracted while in the war.  She married Jack D Ballard February 9, 1950 in Las Vegas, NV.  They had 4 children: Janet (Spencer Hunsaker), Tony Clark (Teri Craig), Betty Ann (Steve Prichard) and Rebecca Sue (Kay T. Gudmundson, Gary Lee Davis).  The family resided in Woods Cross while Jack worked for the US Postal Service she worked as a tailor/seamstress and a mother of 4.  They shared many social dinners and games with friends, growing and bottling peaches, tomatoes and cucumbers (for pickling), making jams and chili salsa but most of all they loved their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She loved quilting and donated many to various charities and was known to always have a quilt on a frame in the basement to stitch or tie. 

Jack Passed away March 27, 2006.  Her three daughters all proceeded Phyllis in death.  She is survived by her son Tony, 9 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren.  Due to the current regulations, no public services are available.  She requested in lieu of flowers donations be made to the St. Labre Indian School, Ashland, MT 59004.  Memorial services will be held at a later date.