Elizabeth Ann BALLING

Elizabeth Balling, known by her friends and family as Buffie, lived a life full of creativity, passion for nature, and vigorous joy. It is with great sorrow her family announces her passing after a long battle with dementia. She was with family in her peaceful last moments. She was born July 23, 1955, to Frank and Ruth (Verman) Eggers in Columbia, MO. Her earliest years were spent with her younger siblings, moving across the country for her father’s military service and engineering career. Family always drew them back to Missouri, often staying with both sets of grandparents in New Haven, MO when her father was overseas. The family eventually settled in Florissant, MO where the children attended school. Being the oldest of four, Buffie learned to help out where she could in the family dynamic–watching her siblings after school when her mother began a career. Buffie was an integral part of the home, often leaving her mark where she went. The kids playroom was decorated with her art and crafts; she created her own unique pieces of clothing; and her siblings described her as ‘the tree hugger’ of the family. Buffie’s father and uncle had a racing hobby that bred a love and appreciation of cars in all the kids. And though, as a young woman Buffie was quiet, she proudly bought her first car–a blue Ford Falcon–much to both her younger brothers’ envy. She always moved to the beat of her own drum–especially having found a passion for belly dance. She began taking classes and dancing with the troupe in her 20s. Learning choreography and performing became a long-time, joyful hobby. It was another artform she could express her creativity–designing and making her own costumes, even selling some to fellow dancers. Buffie had a son, Erin, and a daughter, Lindsay. While they were little, she attended night school to earn an associate of arts at St. Louis Community College Florissant Valley. She found work as an administrative assistant; however it was her passions and hobbies that brought her fulfillment. As a woman of many talents and interests, if there was a type of art or craft, she had tried it. Her children grew up surrounded by color and creativity–instilling in them her relentless figure-it-out attitude. She had an enduring love of nature and animals that extended into volunteering for environmental conservation, like Stream Team. She always loved finding ways to share her knowledge of nature and conservation–especially with children. Her own children remember fondly an interactive felt scene she created with two critters cleaning up a river, complete with little pieces of felt trash. When her children were grown, Buffie had finally found work that combined her passion for the environment with the skills she had learned in her career. It was during this time she met her husband Ellis Balling. Together they retired to the countryside, and she started to live her dream of gardening, volunteering, and crafting. She spent several years in her idyllic peace, until it was clear Ellis’s health was in decline. She cared for him until he passed in 2011. A few years later, after moving back close to family, she had begun to show the early signs of what was later diagnosed as an atypical, early-onset Alzheimer Disease. She lived at home and was cared for by her mother, her son and his girlfriend, and her daughter. The last few years she had moved to an assisted living facility where her sweetness won the hearts of her caretakers. Buffie passed away February 11, 2023, at 67 years old. She was close with her family, and she is survived by her children, her siblings, her parents, and her friends. They will all remember her kindness, gentle soul, and warm smile. At 9:45 am that morning there will be a short ceremony at Jefferson Barracks Cemetery where she will be interred with her late husband, Ellis, in the columbarium. A celebration of life will be held at 11 am on April 28, 2023 at Missouri Botanical Garden..

Elizabeth Ann BALLING

July 23, 1955 - February 11, 2023