Francis "Frank" Cyril Ballard of Holy Cross passed away on Tuesday, July 3, 2012, with his devoted wife of 49 years, Jane Thompson Ballard, by his side following a heartbreaking battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 73.

Frank lived his life in the Holy Cross community, the majority of it in the house on the farm on which he was born. He was a life-long member of Holy Cross Catholic Church. Frank attended the old St. Joseph Preparatory School in Bardstown and St. Francis High School.

Frank was preceded in death by his parents Cleophas F. Ballard and Anna Marie Hagan Ballard, and by his brothers, Paschal, Aloysius, Caleb, Emanuel, Paul, and Benny; by his sisters, Flavia and Mary Theresa.

In addition to his wife, Frank is survived by his son, Caleb M. Ballard (Beth) of Holy Cross, and his daughters, Carol Lyvers (Randy) of Columbus, Indiana, Aleta Sue Ballard de Ruiz (Miguel) of Nashville, Tennessee, and Wanda Ballard Repasky (Bill) of Prospect, Kentucky. Frank was a very proud "Papaw" of 13 grandchildren: Drew Lyvers, Erin Ballard, Mary Kate Repasky, Logan Ballard, Luke Lyvers, Reed Repasky, Noah Ballard, Gabriel Ruiz, Regan Repasky, John Lyvers, Samuel Ruiz, Nicolas Ruiz and Claire Lyvers.

Frank is also survived by his "little sister", Mary Agnes Simms (Bob) of Georgetown, Indiana, and a brother, Ignatius Ballard (Cecilia) of Holy Cross, and sisters-in-law Mary Ballard (Aloysius), Dorothy Ballard (Paul), Susan Ballard (Benny) and Elaine Ballard (Emanuel).

He was "Uncle Frank" to 56 Ballard grandchildren, which he thoroughly enjoyed, and many of whom visited him in his later years, and seemingly countless great and great-great grandchildren, many of whom were fortunate enough to have been entertained by his many stories of growing up on the family farm.

Frank was a life-long farmer and jack-of- all-trades, owned a country store in Holy Cross for a number of years and worked for the Marion Adjustment Center for 20 years as Public Service Coordinator doing community outreach with the inmates. Before his health failed him, Frank was known to his neighbors as the man to call if someone needed a ride, a driver or a tractor.

Visitation will be held Sunday, July 8, 2 PM - 8 PM at Mattingly Funeral Home, 195 Holy Cross Road in Loretto with a prayer service at 7 PM conducted by Rev. Ben Brown. A funeral Mass will be held at Holy Cross Church, in Holy Cross Kentucky at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 9.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that expressions of sympathy be made to Holy Cross Cemetery Trust Fund, 7945 Loretto Road, Kentucky 40037, Hosparus of Central Kentucky, 105 Diecks Drive, Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701.