Delores "Dee" Jean Ballew

February 19, 1930 - June 11, 2024

Dee Ballew was born to Edna and Clayton Ross in Boone, Iowa on February 19, 1930, where she grew up with her sisters, Dorothy and Shirley. She passed on June 11, 2024, with family by her side. Upon graduating from Boone High School, she moved to Lincoln and became a proud and accomplished registered nursing graduate from the St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing in 1950. While attending the School of Nursing, she met and married Richard Danner in January 1951. During this marriage the couple had a daughter Teresa (Terry) and a son Chris before Richard’s untimely death in 1965 at age 37.

In 1966, while on duty at Bryan hospital, Lincoln ob-gyn physician and surgeon Bill Ballew noticed the skill and compassion with which she managed patients and staff in difficult situations. Her ability to stay cool in stressful situations was matched only by her cheerfulness and sense of humor. Bill asked Dee to become part of the Women’s Clinic of Lincoln which he had just established, and she accepted. Together they worked side by side as a team in the pre-eminent obstetrics and gynecological practice in Lincoln and married in 1970. After Bill retired from practice in 1983, they travelled frequently until Bill’s declining health led to his death in 1995. One of her son John’s fraternity brothers nicknamed them “Wild Bill” and Sweet Dee”.

Dee was a remarkable woman. Growing up as her mother struggled to raise 3 daughters after becoming a young widow, Dee, as the oldest had many responsibilities placed on her at an early age. She never forgot those tough economic circumstances and yet, despite them, became the compassionate and kind and generous mother and wife she was for all of her life. Very proud of her nursing education and background, smart as a whip, a voracious reader, an accomplished chatterbox (sometimes without a filter), a caretaker of Boston bull terriers, a devoted grandmother, a lover of cane sugar Coca Cola, a dedicated reader of the Daily Record to see who was in trouble, getting divorced or taking out a loan, and an American Songbook devotee, including Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole and Tommy Dorsey. Dee was the only person her children knew who could figure out how to time-shift a VCR and record movies at all hours.

Dee was loved by everyone---The service manager at Omaha Lexus. Her dental office. The mailman. The staff at her CPA office. Her many friends, including her vigilant and helpful next-door neighbor Darrell. And the caring help from The Key and HoriSun Hospice who allowed her to stay in her home during her last days. People cared about her because she genuinely cared about them and exuded a positivity about life that was real and heartfelt. In a day and age of emails and impersonal texts, it was always a treat to receive one of her hand-written thank yous. Dee was also a long-time donor to and member of Faith Lutheran Church. Her faith was as important to her as it was strong.

She was preceded in death by her parents Edna and Clayton Ross, sister Dorothy Ross Harris of Boone Iowa, her husband Richard (Dick) Danner, infant son Chris and her beloved husband Dr. J.W. “Bill” Ballew.

She leaves behind her daughter Teresa (Terry) Danner; sister Shirley Ross Parrish, Memphis, TN.; son John Ballew (Connie), daughter Beth Ballew Loyd (Rohn); grandchildren Sherry Griggs Noonan (Tom), Melinda Griggs Gonzalez (Carlos), Kendra Griggs, Rebecca Loyd Williamson (Matt); Christopher Loyd (Cori), Bryce Ballew Kyle Ballew(Erin), Cousin Donna Prichard Council Bluffs, IA, together with 8 great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Memorials on Dee’s behalf may be sent to The Food Bank of Lincoln or Bryan Foundation for the NICU unit in her memory/honor.

A funeral service for Dee will be held Friday, June 28, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, 6800 South 14th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68512. lincolnfh.com