Carol Elaine Ballinger

Carol Elaine Ballinger passed away on January 22, 2021. A funeral service will be held on January 28, 2021 at 3:00 pm at Blount & Curry Funeral Home-Carrollwood located at 3207 W. Bearss Ave. Tampa, FL. The family will receive visitors beginning at 2 pm. Private interment will be held at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL where Carol will be buried with Ed’s cremains.

Carol was born in Akron, Ohio on December 9, 1931 to Bernice Harper Fee and Howard Fee and grew up in Ellet, Ohio. She married Edward E. Ballinger, Jr. in July 10, 1951. There began a life-long marriage of over 68 years until Ed passed away on January 6, 2020. Carol and Ed had four children all of whom survive her: Edward Ballinger (Tammy), Jack Ballinger (Diane), Kelly Ballinger, and Linda Ballinger Lins (Mike). Carol is also survived by her grandchildren, who were her pride and joy: Deanna Ballinger Orza (Kevin), Eric Ballinger, Justin Ballinger, Brandon Ballinger, Brittany Ballinger, Amanda Lins Chissell (Ryan), J. Michael Lins (fiancé Tess), and Delaney Lins Cioppa (Jack). She had five great grandchildren: Emery Kate Orza, Elise Caroline Orza, Elliott Thomas Orza, Aubrey Elizabeth Chissell, and Porter James Cioppa. Carol was preceded in death by her sister and brother-in-law, Marian Fee Ream and William “Bill” Ream. She is survived by her brother, James “Jim” Fee (Bonnie).

Carol’s deepest passion in life was taking care of her family. She was a devoted military wife to her husband, Ed, including living in England for one of Ed’s early assignments with the Strategic Air Command of the U.S. Air Force. As a military couple, they also lived in Kansas, Ohio, and Florida. Carol held the family together at home while Ed was serving oversea for a year at Takhli, Thailand during the Vietnam War. Carol was an incredible stay-at-home mother to her four children. She took the boys to Little League games, Scout meetings, and music lessons, and took Linda to her dance lessons. Carol was the official band mother for Kelly’s teenage rock band and often cooked for them during evening practices. When she became a grandmother, all of her grandchildren were the apple of her eye! Carol also enjoyed sewing, gardening, ceramics, bowling (she and Ed played in a league), and watching her favorite soap opera “General Hospital.”

She also had many long-term friendships that she cherished. Perhaps Carol’s best attribute was that she was a funny, sensitive, and compassionate woman who always made her family feel happy and loved.

A livestream link of the funeral will be available by copying and pasting the link below: https://youtu.be/htpM_c2wmus