LaDreka Vane' Ballentine

LaDreka Vané Ballentine, loving known as “Nay” was born July 19th 1988 in Raleigh North Carolina. She was the first child of two. Born to the late Darryl Wayne Ballentine and Pamela Tate Ballentine. Surrounded by her mother and sister she transitioned into heaven’s gates on Friday September 9th at Duke Raleigh Hospital.

Vané was always known for her beautiful smile and infectious laugh. Vané graduated with honors from Millbrook High School in Raleigh North Carolina, Class of 2006. She was a part of several organizations such as Sports Medicine, Black Achievers, swim team, and a superlative flute player all four years of high school. She was first runner up in the Zeta Phi Beta pageant Goldsboro NC chapter at age 17. Vané furthered her education with a bachelor's degree in Sports Science and Fitness Management with a minor in Business, graduating from North Carolina A&T State University cum laude class of 2010. While at A&T Vané was a residential advisor as well as an instructor of her own fitness classes in the campus gym facility. One week after graduating college Nay went to work with Planet Fitness and quickly advanced to become a manager of her own facilities in the regional area. In 2017 after 7 years, Vané decided it was time to further her career. She became employed at Duke University Lennox Baker Hospital as a physical therapy aid and administrative assistant. Nay loved this career as well as the people she was surrounded by. For the 6 years she was there she gained lifelong friends and family.

As a child Vané attended Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church (Goldsboro NC) and Tupper Memorial Missionary Baptist Church (Raleigh NC). Vané joined Watts Chapel Missionary Baptist Church September 2021 and always took pride that her Ballentine family were some of the founding members and still present in the church today. Under the leadership of the Reverend Dr. Harry L. White Jr, Deacon Weeks, and Deacon Grier Nay flourished in her spiritual learnings. Although her health was not as robust at this time, she continued to recognize her blessings and stayed strong in her faith and looked forward to getting well enough to be a part of the Women of Watts comradery. Nay often referred to Watts as her church family and spoke to anyone who would listen about the abundance of support that had been shown to her. Vané was a woman of God and wore several inspirational hats.

She was an entrepreneur and owned her own natural hair and skin care business My Crown 2 Sole LLC. She also held natural hair workshops to help promote and educate on healthy natural hair. Additionally, she brought these teachings to the masses on her popular YouTube channel. Vané loved to sing, dance, study school and her daily bible verses, travel, spend time with family and friends, musical praise and worship, exercise, and had in the last year discovered how much of an awesome cook she was, perfecting so many recipes such as her famous seafood lasagna, cheeseburger eggrolls and “gulosh”. Vané was also currently attending Durham Tech College and recently completed the prerequisites needing to achieve her dream of furthering her career in physical therapy. On June 8th, 2022, she was offered one of 23 prestigious seats at Guilford Tech College after taking an admittance exam and applying for a seat while she was admitted in the hospital for a short stay.

She proudly accepted to join their Physical Therapy assistant program class of 22-23. Upon receiving the acceptance email, Vané cried and her mom unknowingly asked, “what’s wrong?” Vané continued crying tears of joy professing to her mom “I did it mom! I did it! and I’m giving God the glory.” Although at the time Vané wasn’t physically feeling her best, her determination drove her to push forward to attend orientation for the program and she eagerly sat in the front row with her mom and sister by her side. After long thought and prayer Vané decided if her name is attached to anything she wants to be able to put her all into it and due to her health status decided now wasn’t the time to participate in the program. She graciously offered her seat to someone else and remarkably the director of the program guaranteed Vané her spot for next year class of 23-24. Her mother, sister, work family and friends will in some way keep this guarantee and create a scholarship in Vané’s name for another student to participate in this program in her honor.

Vané was proceeded in passing by her father Darryl Wayne Ballentine, grandmother Bertha Coley Tate, and her grandfather Kenneth Taborn. She leaves to cherish her precious memories her loving mother, Pamela Tate Ballentine of the home, beloved little sister, Nateesha “Beesha” Ballentine of Raleigh NC, grandfather, Tommy L. Tate of Goldsboro NC, grandmother, Lula Ballentine Evans of Durham NC, Godson, Josiah Alston of Raleigh NC, uncle, Harold Taborn (Tracy) of Raleigh NC, aunt, M. Jenine Taborn of Durham NC, uncle, Craig brown of Goldsboro NC, a special uncle, Tavarres Brown of Leland NC, and a host of other cherished relatives and friends.

“A good woman will always be two things, missed and remembered.” -Nay

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