His Obituary: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Aug. 17, 1998
Merle (Bud) Ballantine, 76, Webster City
Funeral services for Merle (Bud) Ballantine, 76 of Webster City were held today at 1:30 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church with Rev. John Grebner officiating. Burial was in Graceland Cemetery with military rites conducted by American Legion Post #191.
Merle Ballantine died Thursday, August 13, 1998 at the Hamilton Hospital.
Merle Walston Ballantine, son of John and Mayme Meyer Ballantine, was born August 27, 1921 at Duncombe. He graduated from Blairsburg High School in 1939. He then began working for the Webster City Fire Department and then Stratford Implement.
On August 9, 1942, he married Betty Christensen at Webster City. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Army Combat Engineers in the European Theater of Action.* Following his discharge, he farmed in the Blairsburg, Duncombe, Jewell and Webster City areas The couple moved to Webster City in 1961 and he was employed by the City of Webster City in the electric plant and in maintenance. He retired in 195 due to health problems.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; sons and daughters-in-law Ron and Sandra Ballantine of Denver, CO, Tom Ballantine of Devil’s Lake, NC, William and Jeri Ballantine of Zionsville, IN; grandchildren, David, Dan, Matthew and Joshua Ballantine and Kristine Seeley, great-granddaughter Taylor Seeley; brothers Gene (Dick) Ballantine of Clarion, Don Ballantine of Stanhope; nieces and nephews.
He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, a former Trinity board member, American Legion Post #191, Disabled American Veterans of Fort Dodge, was a pilot and served on the airport commission, a captain for Civil Air Patrol and served on the Webster City Credit Union board.
Memorials may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church building fund and to the Diabetes Association.
*Pfc. Ballantine is listed on the website American D-Day as having served on Omaha Beach.
Source: ancestry.com
