Joseph E. "Pete" Ballenger

Joseph E. “Pete” Ballenger, 86, of Lawrence, Kansas died Thursday, July 3, 2025 at Brookside Assisted Living in Overbrook, Kansas.

He was born October 4, 1938 in Independence, Kansas the son of Joseph and Ruth (Crowell) Ballenger.  He graduated from Humboldt High School with the class of 1957.  Pete served his country in the United States Navy between 1957 and 1961 attaining the rank of Seaman 3rd class.  He was also in the Navy reserves in 1961 and 1962.  During his service Pete was a signalman aboard the U.S.S. Midway.

On August 3, 1961, Pete was united in marriage to Janice Lewis in Longton, Kansas.  Janice passed on February 20, 2025, after sharing 63 years of loving marriage.

After his military service, Pete worked for Layton Oil in the oil fields.  He then worked for Starcraft in Independence, KS until they closed down.  Pete and Janice lived in Michigan from 1971 before moving back to Kansas in 1976, where Pete worked at Electric Motor Shop.  Between 1978 until his retirement in July 1995, Pete worked at Kansas Power & Light as a Control Room Operator.  In 1999, Janice and Pete moved to a 40 acre farm on the edge of Overbrook, KS where they lived until moving to Lawrence to be closer to their doctors in 2015. 

Pete was a social butterfly, and could often be found socializing with his neighbors and having a beer in the garage.  He was an avid softball player and coached Little League and softball for many years.  Pete enjoyed golfing and fishing at Pomona Lake.  He also owned, trained, and jockeyed racehorses.  He was an involved member of Overbrook Bible Church, as well as the Lions Club and the V.F.W.  He loved cooking and was an amazing gardener.  He was quick to read someone’s character and was a trusted source of wisdom.  He was frugal with his money but shared freely to anyone in need.  Above everything else, Pete loved his family, especially his grandchildren.  He could often be found helping them with every inch of their schooling. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Ruth Ballenger; his wife, Janice Ballenger; and a sister, Colleen Weilert and a brother, Lynn Ballenger.

He is survived by a son, Charles Ballenger and his wife, Carla, of Lawrence, KS; a daughter, Lisa Pelley of Aurora, CO; three grandchildren, Tyler Pelley and his wife, Jordyn, of Parker, CO, Austin Pelley of Aurora, CO, and Connor Ballenger and his wife, Mallory, of Hillsboro, OR; and two great-grandchildren, Brody and Makynzie Pelley.

Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, July 19, 2025 at Overbrook Bible Church, Overbrook, KS.  Interment will follow at 3:00 p.m. at Longton Cemetery, Longton, KS.  To celebrate Pete’s life, a visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday, July 18, 2025 at Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, 730 Western Heights Dr, Overbrook, KS 66524.  Memorial contributions may be made to Overbrook Bible Church and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 268, Overbrook, KS 66524. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joseph E. "Pete" Ballenger, please visit our floral store.