Mae Ballard Ford, 92, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, September 22, 2023 in Charlottesville, VA.

Mae was a loving wife, mother, and a friend to everyone she met. Nothing made her happier than spending time with family and friends.  She brought the family together for holidays, vacations, and informal gatherings filled with love, laughter, great food, and cherished memories.  Favorite activities for her time with family and friends included long walks on the beach, travelling the world, sharing in special lunches and birthday celebrations and attending the Farmer Family Reunion. Mae enjoyed doing fun activities like hiking, playing bridge, skiing, attending UVA football and basketball games and gardening. She was dedicated to serving Main Street United Methodist Church where she worked with history and records and served on the Altar Guild. Mae was always giving to others in the community, including serving as a scout leader and working at her children and grandchildren's schools. One of her greatest loves was volunteering with the children at the Main Street UMC Preschool. Mae made lasting friendships throughout numerous DuPont locations both in the States and abroad in the Netherlands and Northern Ireland.

Mae married her childhood sweetheart, Byron, 71 years ago and together they became role models of devotion and true love for all their family and friends. In addition to her husband, Mae is survived by her sister, Carolyn B. Howell, and three children, John (Katrina), Natalie (Jonathan) Dyke and Julianne Ramsey and eight grandchildren, Brandon, Jeremy and Whitney Ford, Janelle, Jonathan and Elizabeth Dyke, Megan and Amanda Ramsey and four great grandchildren, Madison Reynolds, Krystal Ford and Kayleigh and Colt Ford. Mae was predeceased by her parents, Luther and Irene Farmer Ballard and her sister, Julianne B. Mathews.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the ambulance crews, the medical staffs at Augusta Health and the University of Virginia Medical Center and the caring staff of Hospice of the Piedmont.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice of the Piedmont, c/o Development Department, 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22911 or online at hopva.org/give.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at McDow Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends immediately after the service.