Martha Elaine Owen Ballard Szabo

Martha Elaine Owen Ballard Szabo went home to Jesus after a long illness. She was recently hospitalized but has been lovingly cared for in her youngest daughter’s home for several years. She was 81 years old.

Her husband, Steven M. Szabo, died in 2021. She was his caregiver during his long illness.

Martha was born on May 8, 1945, in Owensboro, Kentucky, to Arch Davis Owen Jr. and Evelyn Mae Walls Owen. She was the youngest of five children.

She is survived by three daughters (from her marriage to Frank Ballard of Owensboro, Kentucky): DeAnna Owen Ballard (Gregg Steinhauser) of Boston, Massachusetts, Christina “Tina” Louise (Bobby) Fatzinger of Owensboro, Kentucky, and Carolyn “Carrie” Ann (Mark) Dolbee of Joliet, Illinois, and their children Blake (Shelly) Roberts (with great-granddaughters Charlotte and Lyla), Kamrin Dolbee, Kaden Dolbee, Bailey Roberts and Frankie Roberts. In addition, she has three stepchildren: Stephani Cordano, Sherri (Randy) Ohler, and Brett (Keirsten) Szabo, and their children Tobey McClure (with great-granddaughters Ella and Zoey), Mia Cordano (with great-granddaughter Aira), Ivy Watkins, Griffin Cordano, Abby Szabo and Matthew Szabo. She is also survived by her sister Nancy Gardner of Thomasville, Georgia, and many nieces and nephews, extended relatives and friends.

In addition to Steve, she was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Mary “Carolyn” Schocke, Robert “Bob” Owen and John Owen.

Martha graduated from Owensboro Senior High School in 1963, where she was a majorette and crowned on numerous Homecoming and other courts. She then attended the Henderson Community College extension of the University of Kentucky, graduating in 1965 as a Registered Nurse. She worked in hospitals in Kentucky (Our Lady of Mercy and Daviess County in Owensboro), South Carolina (Self Memorial in Greenwood), Indiana (Bartholomew County in Columbus and Howard Community in Kokomo) and Illinois (Olympia Fields Osteopathic). While she was primarily an RN on Medical-Surgical units, eventually becoming Head Nurse, she also worked in ICU/CCU and other units, and took many specialized continuing education courses, particularly in Oncology. After many years working in hospitals, she became a staff RN in the offices of Corwin Medical Care in Plainfield, Illinois. She was an excellent and well-respected nurse. Her girls loved to tell stories, though, of how they had to be “half dead” before she’d allow them to stay home from school sick. Her rebuttal to most complaints was about a young man she once treated in the ER who had been dragged quite a ways along the road caught under his motorcycle. “Can you top that? If not, you’re going to school today.” Somehow she later became a complete softie when it came to her grandchildren.

Having grown up on the Ohio River, Martha loved the water. In her younger years, she loved to waterski. One of her favorite pastimes, up until her final weeks, was to float on a raft in a pool soaking in the sunshine. She also loved fishing and she and Steve traveled on many vacations to find the perfect spot, while locally spending many hours teaching the grandchildren to fish in a nearby pond. She spent her quiet hours reading, watching television and listening to music (pop, country and gospel with Elvis and Carrie Underwood being favorites). She was a devout Christian and devoted many hours to the church, Bible study groups, church social activities, and quiet prayer and contemplation at home.

Martha was loved by many and will certainly be missed. Her daughters, in particular, are thankful that even though dementia and her recurring chordoma brain tumor stole most of her memories in the latter years, “The Princess” never lost her ability to recognize her friends and loved ones. She knew us until her final breath.

Services will be held in both Illinois and Kentucky.

On Monday, July 27, 2026, there will be a viewing from 9:00 a.m.  - 11:00 a.m. followed by a service officiated by Pastor Dwight Dally at 11:00 a.m. at Tezak’s Home to Celebrate Life, 1211 Plainfield Rd. Joliet, IL 60435.

There will be a visitation on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., at James H. Davis Funeral Home, 3009 Frederica St, Owensboro, KY 42301. Following that, at 12:00 p.m., she will be buried with a simple prayer service at Rosehill Cemetery, 1300 Old Hartford Rd, Owensboro, KY 42303.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Chordoma Foundation online at chordoma.org or by mail to PO Box 2127, Durham, NC 27702, or to the Dementia Society of America online at http://Dementia Society of America/donate or by mail to PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901.