Eaton W. Ballard; Led Board of L.A. Music Center Operating Co.

Eaton W. Ballard, former retailing executive and head of the Los Angeles Music Center Operating Company, has died. He was 86.

Ballard died Friday in Seattle of septicemia, only 24 hours after the death of his wife of 64 years, Beverly Holtenhouse Ballard.

As chairman of the board of directors of the Los Angeles Music Center Operating Company in the mid-1980s, Ballard advocated allotting more performance dates to ballet and opera. Before leaving office in 1986, he was also instrumental in ousting the declining Civic Light Opera Co. from the county-supported facility.

A graduate of Stanford University and the Harvard Business School, Ballard joined Broadway-Hale Stores in 1949 as treasurer. As the company, which operated the former Broadway department store chain, evolved into Carter Hawley Hale Stores, Ballard rose to executive vice president, second only to chain owners Edward W. Carter and Philip Hawley. At his retirement in 1977, Ballard became a consultant to the company.

He also advised other companies and, although an outside director, was elected chairman of the board of Whittaker Corp., with interests in chemicals and biomedical research.

In addition to his work with the Music Center, Ballard served as chairman of the Pacific Oaks College board of trustees, a trustee of CalArts, a governor of the Performing Arts Council and a director of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. He also served on the vestry of St. Edmunds Episcopal Church in San Marino.

Ballard is survived by three children, Jonathan and Sarah Ballard of Seattle, and Gretchen Ballard Guard of Santa Fe, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.