Joseph William Ballew

Joseph William Ballew, 95, of Mt. Vernon passed away June 1, 2021, at the Missouri Veterans Home in Mt. Vernon.  He was born March 25, 1926, in New Franklin the son of Merle and Helen (Pemberton) Ballew.
Ballew was a 1944 graduate of Pensacola High School in Pensacola, Fla. and was a U.S. Army veteran serving during World War II.  After the service he moved to Denver, Colo., and found a job at the First National Bank as a teller and worked there for seven years.  He sold cars for a couple of years and then worked as a supervisor for the Gates Rubber Company in Denver for 15 years, retiring in 1970 and then moved back to Missouri where he went to work for Witt Printing Company in El Dorado Springs. It was here he met his wife, Geneva.  In 1974 they moved to a farm, and he became a farmer and retired from farming around 2000.
On June 27, 1974, he married Geneva Mae Mahurin, in El Dorado Springs.
Ballew is survived by his wife of 47 years; sister, Sarah Overstreet of Fayette; son, Del La (Debra) Bree of La Russell and Janice.
Ballew was preceded in death by his parents; son, Jay Steven Ballew and sister, Mrytle.
A graveside service, under the direction of the Fossett-Mosher Funeral Home in Mt. Vernon, will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 10, 2021, at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield.
Memorials may be made payable to the Church In Action, for a veteran’s wall, in care of the funeral home.