Florence Ballard heart attack in February 1976 at the age of 32. Ballard's death was considered by one critic as "one of rock's greatest tragedies". Ballard was posthumously inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes in 1988. Florence Glenda Ballard was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 30, 1943 to Lurlee (née Wilson) and Jesse Ballard, as the ninth of fifteen children. Her siblings were Bertie, Cornell, Jesse, Jr., Gilbert, Geraldine, Barbara, Maxine, Billy, Calvin, Pat, Linda and Roy. Her mother was a resident of Rosetta, Mississippi. Her father was born Jesse Lambert in
Barbara Ballard Barbara Ballard Barbara W. Ballard (born November 14, 1944) is a Democratic member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 44th district. Born in Petersburg, Virginia, she has served since 1993. Prior to her election to the House, Ballard served on the Lawrence School Board from 1985-1993. Ballard is treasurer of the Kansas African American Legislative Caucus. She has a BMeEd (1967) from Webster College, and an MS (1976) and PhD (1980) from Kansas State University. She has worked as an elementary school teacher, and from 1980 until 2004 was Dean of Students at the University of Kansas as