Lucyle R. Ballentine

Lucyle Reynolds Ballentine, 98, of Atlantic Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully at her home on December 24, 2023, with her two daughters by her side.

Lucyle was born in Lexington, Georgia on July 11, 1925. She attended Meason Academy where her basketball team won the state championship two years in a row. She loved her small hometown of Lexington where her cousins were her friends and family.

Lucyle graduated from The University of Georgia where she was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi Sorority and she continued to be a huge Dawgs fan for life. After graduation she moved to Atlanta, Georgia and worked for Retail Credit Company. While in Atlanta, she met the love of her life, Allen Ballentine, who was studying at Georgia Tech. They married on January 10, 1951. After living and working in Atlanta for several years, they moved to Jacksonville in 1956 and soon after made Atlantic Beach their permanent home. A year later they joined Neptune Baptist Church where they remained members until their deaths.

Lucyle raised her two daughters in the home she and Allen built with an ultra-modern flair for its time. They enjoyed opening their home to many friends and family. Lucyle was very active in her social community, playing tennis and golf at Selva Marina Country Club. She was a member of several bridge clubs lasting decades. Lucyle loved and adored her grandchildren, even renaming her home "Camp Ballentine" for the summers. She loved telling stories of traveling the world with Allen. Lucyle had a great sense of humor which made her many friends laugh...she was loved by so many.

Lucyle was preceded in death by the love of her life, Allen Palmer Ballentine, her parents, Earl and Ruby Mae Cunningham Reynolds. She is survived by her daughters, Ruby Louise Ballentine and Saretta Ballentine Griner (John), her five grandchildren, John Palmer Payne, Michael Davis McAuliffe, Saretta Lucyle Griner, Elizabeth Marie Griner and Allison Griner Sewell (Russell), and her great granddaughter, Kaylen Alice McAuliffe.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 30, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Neptune Baptist Church, 407 3rd Street, Neptune Beach, Florida. Graveside service will be held Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Clark Cemetery in Lexington, Georgia.