Casandra Ballard

Casandra, born at Mercy Hospital in Benton Harbor on November 28, 1956, passed away unexpectedly on December 5, 2019, at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. A 1975 graduate of Benton Harbor High School, she attended Hope College, then started her working life at Kaywood Products. In 1980, she began a 28-year career at Superior Dental Lab in St. Joseph, working for LaNora Lester. The lab was sold in 2008, and Casandra went to work part time at Gillespies Pharmacy, then on to full time at Lakeland Pharmacy until she was reunited with LaNora at Van buren/Cass County Health Department’s dental lab, where she retired from in January, 2019. Casandra enjoyed crafting and taking her items to the area craft shows. She was an animal lover and enjoyed having cats and dogs as house pets. She got involved in a spay program to help stop the homeless cat problem. She continued to care for homeless cats near her home until her passing. Casandra often joked about becoming the “crazy cat lady”. Casandra enjoyed a simple life with a small circle of close friends. Most people she befriended became her friends for life. She will be greatly missed by those she took under her wings and her many cousins. Heaven gained another angel. Casandra was preceded in death by her father, Leslie K. Ballard in 1984; mother Marjorie M. (Enders) Ballard in 1991 and most recently, her cousin Babe in November of this year. She is survived by her Powers cousins, Jeane of Coloma, Lynn of Texas and David of Florida; her Ballard cousins, Robert, and Lynn of Rockford, IL and many other cousins. Also surviving to mourn her passing, are her close friends, Wayne and Sandy Powers, Laura Sieber and Carrie Weller of Benton Harbor, Susie Wadsworth of Arizona, Cheryl Piedt Kaptur of South Haven, LaNora Lester and her cuddle cats, Loosey, Tiny and Lois. Due to these uncertain times Casandra’s celebration of life service has to be rescheduled. Once a date it chosen, information will be posted. Please feel free to bring your pictures and memories you would like to share. Those wishing to leave a condolence on line may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.