Priscilla A. Ballard-Pfalzer

A private graveside service will be held for Priscilla Ann Ballard–Pfalzer, 92 of Hilliard, formerly of Granville, at Welsh Hills Cemetery in Granville.  Born on September 30, 1928 in Barnesville, Ohio she went home to be with the Lord on November 23, 2020. Pris was the second of two children of Helen Eva (Chappell) Ballard and Judson Tupper Ballard. Her older sister, Helen Jane was born in 1923. The sisters were the great-granddaughters of Dr. Henry Martin Tupper and his wife Sarah, who together, after the Civil War, founded Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina which provided a formal education to the recently freed slaves.

After graduating from Barnesville High School in 1946, Pris attended P.C.W. (Pennsylvania College for Women) in Pittsburgh; it was later renamed Chatham College. Upon receiving her B.A. in Education in 1950, she went on to teach in the Baltimore, Maryland school system. She chose Baltimore because at the time they were paying their teachers $2,600 a year, compared to $1,800 a year Ohio was paying some of its teachers.  It was while living there she was introduced to Arthur Pfalzer, Jr. through mutual friends.  They would go on to marry in May of 1953.

Moving to Columbus, Ohio they lived in the Mayfair Apartment complex off James Road.  Art would work for North American Aviation and then subsequently Hoover Electric Company. Their first son William Erich was born on August 17, 1955.

In 1957 they had a home built on the western edge of the village of Granville, Ohio.  On November 19, 1960 they welcomed a second son, Fritz, into the family.

Pris re-entered the work place in 1966 as a kindergarten teacher in the Granville School system. She would remain in that position until she retired in June of 1994.  Her love of teaching touched the lives of so many children.  Additionally, midway through her career she was honored as a Martha Holden Jennings Scholar for her excellence in education.

Her decades of working with five year olds included, teaching them to dance around the May Pole, tie shoelaces, zip coats, wipe runny noses, and put on plays, in addition to her mending bumps and bruises, dealing with upset stomachs, and watching them grow up. All of which, created a treasure trove of funny stories and precious memories.  One of those treasured memories was saved in a note she received from one of her kindergarteners when she retired.  With classic five year-old spelling sensibilities it read: Dear Mrs. Pfalzer, You were a great, excellent, super, techer. You taught me things my parints didn’t even know.  Your student - Marshall. 

Although a 1981 divorce was emotionally tough, Pris’s independent spirit and grit, along with tight bonds to her core group of dear friends, Cass Gowans, Betty Koenig, Cecelia Bodine, and Phyllis Tachco helped her navigate those turbulent times.

As a skilled knitter, Pris crafted beautiful sweaters, blankets, winter caps, mittens, and even sweater outfits for toy bears. Warm woolen mittens and sweaters were always a staple for her boys growing up.  She would often relax in the evening, after her school work was completed, and knit away while listening to a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game, or watching Columbo, Hawaii 5-0, or M*A*S*H and not miss a stitch.

She was a member of Twig 19 for many decades. Their efforts to raise money to help Licking Memorial Hospital were well rewarded. Twig 19’s biggest fund raiser was their Book Sale held each spring, often times in the basement of the Methodist Church in Granville. Her own basement was a repository for hundreds of books each year awaiting set up for the sale.

Additionally, Pris was an active member with Granville’s First Presbyterian Church putting her musical talents to use as a member of both the main choir and the hand bell choir.

 Pris moved to Erinwood condominiums on the east side of Granville in December of 1993. She enjoyed an active and vibrant life there up through October of 2006. By this time the symptoms of Alzheimer’s prevented her from living on her own.

Her sons moved her to Traditions At Mill Run, an assisted living residence in Hilliard, Ohio. Her mental faculties and health slowly declined in stages over the next 14 years. Although Alzheimer’s robbed her memories, her character and mannerisms still shone through the fog of the disease. Even in the late stages of her condition she’d giggle over something someone had said, or provide her care givers her signature eye-roll and crack them up.  In the end, contracting Covid-19 proved to be a blessing as it sped up her journey to go home to be with the Lord.

She is survived by her son William Erich Pfalzer and his wife Nancy (Day) along with grandchildren: Bambi, Lisa, and Amanda, great-grandchildren: Acacia, Alisha, Mark, Amanda, Devalontay, Ashley, Austin, Christopher, Heaven, and Destiny.  Second son Fritz Pfalzer, named changed to Frederick T. C. Ballard and wife Deborah (Moore) along with granddaughters, Emmaleigh and Molly.  Nephews Albert B. Chamberlin and wife Barbara, Peter J. Chamberlin and wife Genie, and niece Deborah (Chamberlin) Hood and husband Dale. Priscilla’s sister, Jane and brother-in-law Albert Chamberlin preceded her in death.    

Memorial contributions may be made to National Church Residences at, www.nationalchurchresidences.org/donate/, or the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Ohio at www.alz.org/centralohio/donate.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.mcpeekhoekstra.com.

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