Obituary - Christine Parham Ballew

Christine Parham Ballew, age 91, passed away peacefully on March 14, 2018 in Pearland Texas. She was born October 16, 1926 in Mt. Pleasant, Texas and was preceded in death by her first husband Wilton M. Richards and by her second husband Charles W. Ballew. She is survived by her four children: Randall Richards and wife Kris, Martha Benson and husband Jim, Larry Richards and wife Gwen, and Sharla Ronstadt and husband Fred; two step children: Bob Ballew and wife Kate, and Alfred Ballew and wife Barbara; two grandchildren: Elisabeth Zook and husband John, and Austin Richards; five step-grandchildren: Carrie Jo Reese and husband Jobe, Drew Ballew and wife Mandy, Chloe Csadenyi-Benson, Alec Ronstadt and wife Kristina, and McCoy Ronstadt; two great grandchildren: Cassidy Zook and Aiden Zook; and five step-great grandchildren: Piper Reese, Jack Ballew, Bryn Ballew, Mira Ballew, and William Ronstadt. She is also survived by her sister Lonita Thompson, her brother Glen Parham, and many nieces and nephews.

After attending grade school in Center Grove community near Mt. Pleasant, Texas and Chapel Hill, she attended high school at Mt. Pleasant High School in Titus County Texas. She graduated from East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce, Texas (now named Texas A&M University at Commerce) in 1946 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business and worked as the Secretary to several of the the College Presidents from 1946 to 1948. She married Wilton Richards in December 1946 and taught 6th grade and high school math classes in New Boston and Marshall, Texas until her family relocated to Brigham City, Utah where she worked at Box Elder High School as a business and math teacher and high school counselor for eight years, during which time she received a Masters Degree in Psychology from Utah State University at Logan, Utah.

After moving back to Texas she worked at San Jacinto Community College in Pasadena (Houston), Texas as a professor of Psychology until her retirement in 1987. During this time she earned a Doctorate Degree in Psychology from the University of Houston, Texas and became a licensed Psychologist. While teaching at San Jacinto College she also taught Psychology courses at the University of Houston Clear Lake, University of Houston Main Campus, and Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, Texas. She also published several papers and books during this period and was a reviewer for various publishers. Her most prominent books published and used in educational settings across the country were, Basic Psychology for the Work Life and it’s follow-up 2nd edition called Psychology: Studying the Behavior of People. She also published “Bits of Psychology,” a weekly column published in The Free Press, a weekly newspaper published in Pasadena, Texas between 1983-1984. She also was an active member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, an organization promoting professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education, and The American Association of University Women (AAUW), the nation’s leading voice promoting equity and education for women and girls. She held positions of Chapter President for both these groups between 1989-1991.

After retirement from San Jacinto College she returned to Brigham City, Utah and was employed as a Counselor and School Psychologist for four years until her second retirement in 1991 from the State of Utah. After her second retirement she moved to Lakeway, Texas where she volunteered at the local public library and was active in several volunteer organizations including Delta Kappa Gamma, the Lakeway Church and the Lake Travis Church of Christ. It was during this period she met Charles W. Ballew at a Homeowners Association meeting and discovered they were born the same month, day and year. They were married on October 16, 1996, their birthday. Charles preceded her in death on July 8, 2011 after 15 years of a happy marriage.

Christine will be remembered for her gentle spirit, selfless generosity, intelligence, strong Christian faith, and unconditional love towards all. She was a lifelong learner, always taking classes and teaching. She gave of her time, talent, and treasure to build new Church of Christ communities wherever she lived. She loved her dog Dolly, along with crossword puzzles, quilting, wild flowers, gardening, traveling with her husband Chuck to places around the country and world, and spending time with her family and friends. Christine was greatly loved by all who knew her and will be greatly missed. She will be buried alongside her husband Charles Ballew, her mother and father, and other family members at the Center Grove Cemetery.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 25, 2018 at the Bates Cooper Sloan Funeral Home, 2805 S Jefferson Ave., Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Funeral service will be held at the same location on Monday, March 26th at 10:00 a.m. in the funeral home chapel. Following the service, Christine will be interred at the Center Grove Cemetery, a few miles east of Mt. Pleasant, Texas. In lieu of flowers, Christine has asked for contributions for the Lake Travis Church of Christ Building Fund, P.O. Box 340730, Lakeway, Texas 78734.