Alberta Fay Ballard Poland Obituary

   Alberta Faye Poland passed away Tuesday, July 27, 2014 at 86 years of age. Alberta was born January 27, 1928 in Boulder, Colorado to Walter and Bertha (Hill) MoneySmith. 

   Alberta attended country schools in her early years and went to high school through the 10th grade. 

   On January 28, 1945, she married Howard McKinley. To this union, four children were born: Pat, Donna, Marlene, and Becky.    They lived near Russell at that time and raised purebred dogs for many years. Howard passed away, December 8, 1976. 

   Alberta moved to Chariton in 1979. On December 23, 1983, she married Doug Ballard. Doug passed away, March 6, 2001. 

   Gene Poland married Alberta on September 15, 2001. 

   Alberta worked as a Home Health Aide for the Lucas County Public Health many years in the Chariton area. She deeply loved her job and the opportunity to help others. One year, she received the Governor’s Award for home health care provider of the year. She also won ribbon awards for her homemade pies. She thoroughly enjoyed mowing the lawn and caring for her flower garden.    Alberta had a love for people, traveling, clouds,sunsets, and music. She cherished time spent with her large family, especially singing and dancing to “Rockin’ Robin. She was genuinely happy and liked to joke around even to the very end. She would always comment about the beautiful clouds, the sunsets, and the fall leaves. She would say, “I just painted those this morning”. Mom without exception had a love for hands. She would draw around everyone in the family’s hands. She would then make new ones as the children grew older.  About a month ago, her daughter, Donna and Lee put in a raised garden for Mom with her flowers and then painted the hand prints of her family on the planter. 

   Alberta is preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Bertha (Hill) MoneySmith; her husbands, Howard McKinley and Doug Ballard; her brothers, Ancil (Marilyn) MoneySmith and Ivan (Verna) MoneySmith; and her sister, Carolyn (MoneySmith) Hansen. 

   She is survived by her husband, Gene Poland; her children, Pat Whitlatch and Mike of Knoxville, IA, Donna Miller and Lee of Conroe, TX, Marlene (Jerry) Edwards of Chariton, IA and Becky (Dave) McCollum of Chariton, IA; eleven grandchildren; ten great grandchildren and one on the way; many nieces, nephews, Uncle Ray Hill, cousins, Linda (Floyd) Ware; and many friends and loved ones.