Saturday, March 20th, 2021
James 'Bill' Ballinger
James W. "Bill" Ballinger, age 90 of Celina, passed away on Friday, March 19, 2021 at Otterbein St. Marys Senior Life Community.
He was born on March 9, 1931 in Dayton to the late Frank and Helen (Kessen) Ballinger. On September 22, 1951, he married Grace Rutledge, they were together for 68 wonderful years; she survives in Celina.
He is survived by his children Douglas (Nancy) Ballinger, Linda Harner both of Celina, eight grandchildren Brian Ballinger, Susan Gray, Aaron Ballinger, Nathan Hans, Kyle Ballinger, Jonathan Ballinger, Collin Schmidt, Alysha Ford, six great-grandchildren Makaela Coutee, James Gray Jr., Annsley Ballinger, Jace Ballinger, Dale Ford Jr., Rylie Ford, and one great-great grandson Maddox Perry.
He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Sue Ann Ballinger, great grandson Kayden Rhodes, brother Robert (Marilyn) Ballinger, and son-in-law Rick Harner.
He attended Celina High School. He served in the United States Medical Co., as a Staff Sergeant during the Korean War. Bill was one of the First Fifteen hired, in July of 1948 at the original Reynolds and Reynolds plant in Celina. In 1991, he retired from Reynolds and Reynolds after 44 years of service. During the last seventeen years, he served as the Manufacturing Superintendent for the Celina Plant. He was elected into the Reynolds and Reynolds Hall of Excellence in 1987 and 1998 in Dayton.
He was a member of the American Legion Post #210, a Life member of the V.F.W. Post #5713, and a member of The New Horizons Community Church in Rockford. He loved to travel to Florida and Hawaii.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at the Lehman-Dzendzel Funeral home, with Rev. Ken Meyer officiating. Burial will follow after services in North Grove Cemetery in Celina with Military Honors provided by the V.F.W. Post #210.
Friends may call from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 22, 2021 and an hour before services on Tuesday, at the Lehman-Dzendzel Funeral Home, with American Legion and V.F.W. membership services at 6:00 p.m. Attendees are required to wear masks, practice social distancing and follow the COVID-19 guidelines established by Governor DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health.
Memorial contributions may be made to Grand Lake Hospice, 200 St. Clair Street, St. Marys, Ohio 45885 or the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.
Condolences may be shared with the Ballinger family on-line at LehmanDzendzelFH.com.
