Roselyn L. (Ballard) Danner

Houghton --- Roselyn Lorraine Ballard Danner, 80, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 13, 2019 at her home, Yorkwood, in Houghton.

She was born on November 27, 1938 in Tappan, a daughter of the late Mary Amanda Bomberger and Clayton Arthur Ballard. On June 18, 1960 she married Lieutenant Colonel Robert Fiske Danner, US Army, Retired, who survives, at the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church, Pearl Street, Wellsville.

Her early schooling through grade 8 was in Belmont where the Ballard family lived for a number of years. Roselyn is a 1956 graduate of Wellsville High school; a 1959 graduate of the West Suburban Hospital School of Nursing, Oak Park, IL; a 1961 graduate in nursing of Wheaton College, IL; and a 1984 graduate in art of Houghton College.

As a Wellsville High School student, Roselyn played the flute in that school’s excellent musical groups and it is through her love of music that she and Bob met in the Wheaton College Concert Band.  In the first 20 years of their marriage, Bob and Roselyn moved frequently due to Bob’s full Army career and they raised their four children.  During an extended tour at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, Roselyn rediscovered her long interest in painting, studying with two “Art Students League of New York” painters. In 1982, after many years being a devoted full-time mother and superb homemaker, Roselyn enrolled again as a college student, this time at Houghton College as an art major.  Upon graduation, she took over management of the college art display gallery program, contributing to that program through many years including being instrumental in the design of the Ortlip Family Art Gallery, Center for the Arts, opening in 2000. Concurrently, she began an inventory of the art collection, managing that collection until her retirement. In 2002, Roselyn was the “14th recipient of the President’s Advisory Board Award of individuals who have made significant contributions to Houghton College through time, talents and resources.”

She is a long-time member of the Houghton Wesleyan Church where she served for many years on the Board of Trustees, the first woman to be elected to that board.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her four children: David Ballard Danner of Terre Haute, IN; Maribeth Hope Danner Jennings (Joseph) of Eden; Nathan Fiske Danner (Casda) of Houghton; Amy Ruth Danner Sperry (David) of Waxhaw, NC; her sister Marilyn Adele Ballard Hiler of Houghton; and a number of other relatives. The Danners have 13 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Family and friends may gather from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm on Friday, April 19, 2019 at the Kopler-Williams Funeral Home, 21 N. Genesee Street, Fillmore and from 10:00 am to 11:00 am Saturday, April 20, 2019 at the Houghton Wesleyan Church where a funeral will follow at 11:00 am. Rev. Dr. Wesley D. Oden will be officiant. Burial will be in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Houghton.

Memorials if desired, to the Houghton Wesleyan Church or to the Art Department at Houghton College.

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