Senior Spotlight | Lucky in Love
Celebrates 67 Years of Marriage
November 18, 2023
BY BETH A. KLAHRE, PHOTOS BY JACKIE WHITAKER PHOTOGRAPHY < br>
Back in the day when Notre Dame University was an all-men’s school,
mechanical engineering student John Ballance from Montclair, New Jersey
first laid eyes on Eileen Tellson. Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana,
Eileen was studying accounting at St. Mary’s College, the women’s college
near the Notre Dame campus. “Eileen and I were introduced at a Mardi
Gras party. I convinced Eileen that I should take her on a date. And it went
from there;’ John says.
Eileen and John were married on August 18, 1956. Eileen’s father was a prominent councilman so there were many guests and family in attendance.
At the reception, everyone kept telling me how lucky I was. But no one was
approaching Eileen and saying the same thing;’ John jokes. “We survived
for 67 years;’ says Eileen. “Sixty-seven wonderful years;’ John quickly adds.
John and Eileen came to Wilmington on the recommendation of John’s
cousin’s daughter who was the receptionist at the Landfall sales office. In 1990
they purchased a lot and five years later started building their home. In July
1996, when John retired after six years at Computer Sciences Corporation
and 34 prior years at IBM, the couple moved into their 3,900-square foot
Landfall home.
“I called it our happy house;’ says Eileen. “Our home was on the edge of a
golf course. We had wonderful amenities. But mostly, we loved the people;’
added John.
They both played golf John played tennis. “I played golf once or twice a week, and I played tennis four times a week;’ John recalls. “Until I broke a hip:’
Eileen belonged to several bridge groups and two knitting groups, activities she still favors. She also sews and quilts. The Ballances raised four children who now live in Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland. They have 10 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Eileen made each grandbaby a quilt at birth. She made each one a second quilt at high school graduation. “In all I have made 20 quilts. It has kept me very busy;’ Eileen says.