| Ballard, Melvin Jack 225143 |
| Birth: 07/13/1931 Death: 11/11/2000 Marriage: 01/22/1957 |
| Cemetery: Silver Cross (NOT PLOTTED) |
| Record Source: Headstone |
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See Image Ballard, Melvin Military
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If you copy this information, please cite this as your source: Betsy Mills and Ron Brothers. The Death and Cemetery Records of Lamar County, Texas, ReBroMa Press, 2008, http://www.lamarcountytx.org/cemetery. (12/17/2025) |
| Notes THE PARIS NEWS, Tuesday, November 14, 2000, page 1: [Picture] Caption: "One man was killed in a three-alarm fire Saturday in this two-story house used as a multiple apartment complex at 1010 West Cherry. Three families in the house and two others in the apartments at left have been displaced because of the fire. John Conrad / Staff" "One man dies in weekend blaze; 5 families displaced - by Bob Merriman - A Paris man died Saturday night in a three-alarm fire at an apartment house at 1010 W. Cherry St. Initial fire reports identify the man as Jack Bullard. No age or other information on the victim was available today. The fire began sometime just after 5 p.m. Saturday inside a two-story house subdivided into apartments. Station No. 1 received the call at 5:10 p.m., said Deputy Chief Steve Neece. 'We were advised there was a disabled man in a wheelchair inside the house,' Neece said today. Firemen arriving at the burning house immediately went inside and began a search for Bullard, Neece said. 'Fire and smoke were showing from the front (south) side of the house,' Neece's report stated. Heavy smoke and division of the house into apartments increased difficulty of the search for Bullard. 'We were unable to locate him in time,' Neece said today. 'We had too intense a fire.' With smoke and flames increasing, firefighters left the house, then pulled hoses into the blazing building, laying down water in an attempt at finding the trapped man. 'We found him,' Neece said, 'but were unable to remove him before fire attack crews were withdrawn.' Firefighters positioned lines to protect the victim as much as possible until the fire could be brought under control. 'We had to call a second alarm, then a third alarm and call in some off-duty personnel and a reserve engine,' Neece said. In all, 24 firefighters were on the ground, with four more and another engine in reserve. 'When we had enough people and hose lines, we were able to get the fire somewhat under control,' the deputy chief said. Then, firefighters were able to return inside the building and remove Bullard from a bathroom at the northwest corner. 'At that point, our concern was that no one else get hurt,' Neece said. 'We attacked the fire from different angles, through windows and using ladders.' The fire was under control by 8:25 p.m. Cause of the fire is still under investigation." THE PARIS NEWS, November 14, 2000: "Melvin Jack Ballard, 69, of Paris died Saturday, Nov. 11, 2000, at his home. Services were at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, at Silver Cross Cemetery with the Rev. Kenneth Short officiating. Gene Roden's Sons Funeral Home had charge of arrangements. He was born July 13, 1931, in Brookston to Allie Robert and Maude Briggs Ballard. He married Dorothy Mary Ann Mills Jan. 22, 1957. He served in the Army during the Korean War and was a retired tree climber. He was a member of First Baptist Church. Surviving are his wife; a son, Melvin Wayne Ballard of Paris; daughters, Jackie Lanell Ballard and Tina Louise Ballard, both of Paris; brothers, William Curtis Ballard, Robert C. Ballard, and Horace Allie Ballard; stepbrothers, Earl, Mack and Paul O'Neal; and grandchildren, Curtis Leo Ballard and Joelina Maude Ballard." Tombstone is inscribed, "PFC US Army - Korea." |
| War Notes Rank , Korean War PFC - US ARMY |