Rev. Junior Kenneth Ballew

The Rev. Junior Kenneth Ballew, 75, of Turner Road, died Sunday, March 5, 2006, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center after an illness of three weeks. The funeral will be at 3 p.m. Thursday at Near Calvary Freewill Baptist Church, where he was the pastor, by the Revs. Jeff Walser, James Messer and Doug McGee. The Rev. Ballew was born in Caldwell County on Aug. 30, 1930, to John Howard Ballew and Esther Hyatt Ballew. He moved to Lexington in 1945. He was baptized by the Rev. J.E. Erwood in 1950 and in 1953 was ordained as a minister. His ministry has lasted more than 53 years, and he has pastored several Freewill Baptist churches in Lexington, including Old Mt. Carmel Freewill Baptist Church, Robbins Circle Freewill Baptist Church, Pilgrim Freewill Baptist Church and for the past five years at Near Calvary. He was also the pastor for Old Fashion Freewill Baptist Church in Farmer. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, James Ballew; and a sister, Lucille Lingle. Surviving are his wife of 56 years, Frankie Walser Ballew of the home; two sons, Larry K. Ballew and Allen Ballew and his wife, Georgia, all of Lexington; one daughter, Bonnie Ballew Mauney and her husband, Jeff, of Lexington; seven grandchildren, Jamey Ballew of Linwood, Frank Ballew, Christel Perry, Melissa Ballew and Jessica Mauney, all of Lexington, and Brooke Easley and Kevin Ballew, both of Thomasville; nine great-grandchildren; and one brother, the Rev. Clarence Ballew and his wife, Mildred, of Lexington. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Davidson Funeral Home in Lexington and other times at the home, 2566 Turner Road. Memorials may be directed to Near Calvary Freewill Baptist Church Building Fund, 336 Lee Smith Road, Lexington, NC 27292. One of the Rev. Ballew's favorite Bible passages was John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."