Wah-Leah Ballard

Services will be streamed and can be viewed here. 

Wah-Leah Faye Cox Ballard was born in Carlsbad, New Mexico on November 15, 1941, to Thomas J. Cox and Della C. Kenner Cox. She passed from this life on October 15, 2025, at home.

Visitation will be 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Friday, October 17, 2025 at Denton-Wood Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for 10:30 AM, Saturday, October 18, 2025 at Sunset Church of Christ with Dale Gifford officiating. Interment will follow in Carlsbad Cemetery, Carlsbad, NM. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Wah-Leah was raised in Carlsbad and graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1960. Wah-Leah worked at Dairy Lea as a teenager. She was working for Cavern Supply at the Carlsbad Caverns when she met her husband, Thurman “Tooks” Ballard. They were married on January 21, 1960. Tooks’ job took them to Peach Springs, Arizona and then back to Carlsbad. As they started their family, she took great joy in raising their children and was actively involved in their 4-H club and activities. She later worked at Telesonic at the Carlsbad Caverns, and at GTE, Carlsbad National Bank and Blenden Law Firm. She loved the ranch life, family gatherings, sewing and crocheting, crafting, painting, baking, dancing, shopping, burning the toast and being the boss.

Wah-Leah is survived by her daughter, Beverly Schrock and fiancé, Larry Lunsford; son, Randy Ballard and wife Shawn; grandchildren: Danica Shaw and husband, Colton; Nickole Simpkins and husband, Shannon; Samantha Luna and husband, Cristain; Jordan Ballard and partner Christian Wilson; and Jacob Ballard and partner Valorie Celerian; great grandchildren: McKenzie Stoltzfus, Jayda and Lucy Simpkins, Declan and Lainey Shaw and numerous nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 53 years, Tooks; brother Thomas Cox, an infant child, Elizabeth Ann; her son-in-love, Glenn Schrock, and granddaughter, Michelle Stoltzfus.

Pallbearers are Jimmy Ballard, Ray Ballard, Winston Ballard, Jacob Ballard, Colton Shaw and Matt Cox. Honorary Pallbearers are Dale Ballard, Jerry Cox, Dan King, Chris Clifton and Larry Lunsford.