Terry O. Ballard, 79, of Plant City, died June 22, 2016.
Mr. Ballard was a graduate of Plant City High School and the University of Tampa. He was a retired brigadier general with the Florida Army National Guard, a retired banker with Hillsboro, SunTrust and Wells Fargo banks and an entrepreneur. Upon his death, he was the owner of Cross Pest Control of Plant City, Clearwater and Bradenton, and a current Florida Strawberry Festival board member. Over his lifetime, he served as the mayor of Plant City, a Plant City commissioner, chairman of the Council of Governments and as a past president of the Florida Strawberry Festival, the Plant City Rotary Club and the Polk Chapter of American Institute of Banking. He was a member of the Hillsborough County Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, Tourist Development Council of Hillsborough County, Double Taxation Committee of Hillsborough County, Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization, Plant City Traffic Study Advisory Committee, I-75 Task Force, Drug Abuse Comprehensive Coordinating Office board of directors, Florida League of Cities, Hillsborough County Charter Review Board and the Plant City “101” Technical Advisory Committee.
He was awarded the Plant City Jaycees Good Government Award and was a Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow and past recipient of the Plant City Family of the Year award.
He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Plant City.
He will be forever remembered as a kind-hearted, practical man with a servant’s soul who encouraged the best from everyone. Devoted to faith, family, friends and goals, his quiet strength and words of wisdom will never be forgotten by those whose lives he touched. He was highly respected for his vast knowledge of Plant City history and community involvement.
He is survived by his devoted and loving wife of 58 years, Daphne C. Ballard; daughters, Teresa Salo (Mike) and Renita Boles (Mitch), of Plant City; grandchildren, Cody Otis Boles, Claire Marie Salo and Cali Jean Boles, of Plant City; brothers, Ray Ballard (Sandra), of Murphy, North Carolina, and Jerry Ballard (Patsy), of Plant City; aunt, Cora Herndon, of Jacksonville, Alabama; and numerous other nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Nina Marie Ballard; and siblings, Nina Mae Ballard and Wayne Ballard.
A celebration of life was held June 28, at First Baptist Church of Plant City. Committal with military honors followed at Memorial Park in Plant City.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Plant City Noon Rotary Club Foundation/Scholarship Fund, or the United Food Bank of Plant City, 702 E. Alsobrook St., #H, Plant City, Florida 33563.
Online condolences may be made at HopewellFuneral.com.