A Love that Overflows
Baseball player, geologist, business owner, philanthropist, father, husband. It's the last of these titles of which Bill Ballard is most fond. For 68 years, Bill's marriage to his late wife Merilyn was a true love story. They met through Merilyn's brother, Kenny, a teammate of Bill's on the local Poplar, Montana, baseball team. On their first date, Merilyn allowed Bill to hold her hand, which gave him the courage to venture a kiss. The rest, as they say, is history.
Sadly, Merilyn passed away on June 20, 2020, at the age of 87. Just before her passing, the couple's last major charitable act together is the final gift to the MSU Billings Yellowstone Science and Health Building. Bill and Merilyn donated $1 million to bridge the gap between funds raised and contractor bids received. Their gift makes the project whole with quality fixtures and furnishings that will stand the test of time.
It was from personal experience that Bill and Merilyn felt the connection to this project. As the Ballards grew older and dealt with the effects of age and health, they spent more time with nurses whose compassion, empathy and personal care impacted them greatly. In touring campus and meeting with nursing students, the Ballards stated their support for the project.
The Ballards are legendary throughout the Billings community for their philanthropic good. In looking toward the pillars of the community and region – Riverstone Health, SCL Health, Billings Clinic, First Presbyterian Church, Rocky Mountain College, and MSU Billings – one sees again and again the legacy and impact Bill and Merilyn have had.
"When Merilyn and I give to charity, we look for three areas: education, healthcare and the church. We see needs at Rocky Mountain College and MSU Billings, and we want to help the campuses and make school affordable for students," Bill said.
Why do philanthropists like the Ballards feel the need to give back? In Bill and Merilyn's case, the love they shared for each other and their family overflowed to the community.
"When Bill and Merilyn looked at each other, there was still a spark there," said Bill Kennedy, president and CEO of the MSUB Foundation. "They always made their decisions together. They always wanted to help students."
Merilyn volunteered in any way she could, personally touching many lives in her community. Tearful goodbyes from her children and those who knew her best at her funeral showed that Merilyn's love was reciprocated exponentially. While she may be gone, the legacy of the Ballards' love will continue for generations.
As a testament to that legacy, the first floor of the completed YSHB will be named the "Dr. William and Merlyn Ballard Learning Laboratories." The floor is dedicated to research labs and classroom space for students to perform undergraduate research for science and healthcare careers.
"Before offering their support, it was important to Bill and Merilyn that the laboratories be used by nursing students," Kennedy said.
As part of their commitment to students, any additional funding not used for the building will go toward establishing a student scholarship endowment in the Ballards' name.
