Margaret Mears Ballew

Published 11:35 am Monday, November 30, 2020

LANDRUM, SC – Margaret Mears Ballew, 96, of Landrum, passed away, Monday evening,  November 23, 2020. Born in Sittingbourne, England, she was the daughter of the late David Richard Mears and Marion Miles Mears and wife of the late Kenneth A. Ballew who passed away in 1999. At the young age six months, she and her family moved to Canada where she was raised until she moved to San Francisco, CA in 1945 to finish her nursing degree. In 1946, she met her husband

while he was stationed in San Francisco. During his Naval career, they traveled until his retirement in 1964 making Tryon their home. Mrs. Ballew enjoyed knitting and would knit toboggins and socks for veterans in the hospital and nursing homes in Asheville. She was a member of the V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary and First Baptist Church of Tryon. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, David Mears and a sister, Dorothy Parent.

Surviving is one son, Tim Ballew (Cindy) of Landrum; two daughters, Kathy Pack (Phillip) of Landrum and Linda Johansen (Jim) of Bedford, VA; one sister, Marilyn Solski of Chatham, Ontario; four grandchildren, Alicia Lewellyn (Austin) of Landrum, Timothy Ballew (Jennifer) of Lexington, SC, Megan Johansen of Goode, VA and Alexander Johansen (Sunday) of Roanoke, VA. Also surviving are eleven great-grandchildren. A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 25, 2020 in Polk Memorial Gardens, Columbus with officiating. Memorials may be made to V.F.W. Post 9116 Ladies Auxiliary, P.O. Box 654, Columbus, North Carolina 28722. At other times, the family will be at the home of her son, Tim Ballew, Landrum. An online guest register is available at mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com

McFarland Funeral Chapel & Crematory

Tryon, North Carolina