Kathleen Mary Ballard

Kathleen "Kathy" Mary O'Flaherty Ballard, age 79, of Highlands Ranch, CO, passed away peacefully on November 7, 2025. Born January 16, 1946, in Denver, CO to John and Eileen O'Flaherty, Kathy was the oldest of seven children. Kathy graduated from high school at St. Mary's Academy in 1963.

While attending Loretto Heights College for a degree in English, Kathy met James "Jim" Ballard, who was then attending the Air Force Academy. In June 1968, a year after graduation, the two were married in Valdosta, Georgia where Jim was attending pilot training.

Kathy and Jim raised two children, Margaret and Caroline, while they moved around the world in support of Jim's Air Force career. The family lived in Texas, Arizona, Virginia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Germany, and Florida before Jim retired from his military career in 1992. After military retirement, the two kept working and moving, living in Georgia, Missouri, Nevada and Oklahoma before settling back in Colorado to be near Kathy's family.

Kathy worked for many years in both paid and volunteer positions. Over and over in her life, she played the role of quiet hero - teaching adult literacy, supporting a neglected child, finding medicine for a diabetic co-worker. In every endeavor, she most valued the people she encountered, building relationships of mutual trust, respect and support across every walk of life. Kathy loved the mountains and big skies of Colorado, and was happiest when she was surrounded by family, listening to stories, talking over politics, or laughing over shared memories.

Kathy is survived by her husband Jim; children Margaret (Alex) and Caroline (Tim); grandchildren Jack, Kate, Amelia, and Duke; siblings Maureen (Craig), Michael (Trish), Stephen (Lori), and Patrick (Amy); nieces Amanda, Caitlin, Kate, Erin, Darrah, Julia, and Kelly; and nephews Mark and Zachary.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Eileen, her sister Mary Ellen, and her brother Matthew.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Highlands Ranch Senior Center, 200 E. Highlands Ranch Parkway, on Sunday November 23rd at 1 PM. The family will hold a private interment at the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Kathy's memory to the New Directions Career Center

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal."  - Irish Proverb