Dennis F. Ballman

Dennis Francis Ballman, AKA Denny B, age 77, of Cleveland, MN bellied up to the big bar in the sky on May 8th 2026.

Dennis may be better known by many as Denny B. He was a long time LeSueur County resident, residing in the same farm house for decades right outside the big town of Cleveland. He was a graduate of Cleveland High School and continued his education at Mankato State University where he got a bachelor’s degree. He also attended the Minnesota Bartenders School where he completed the program in 1971. In the ‘90s, he received a black belt in Taekwondo, which he bragged about.

He was a farm boy but moreover he was a drinker and gambler at heart. He took many gambles in his life. Starting in 1969, he tried to play his cards at marriage, but it was a short game where he lost in divorce but was a big winner with his jackpot of the title Father as he now had his first-born Denise and second born Richard.

He took a new gamble and relocated to Freemont, Nebraska where he gambled in running and bartending the Safari Bar for several years. After, he returned to Cleveland where he took up bartending at Valley View Lounge in St. Peter. It was then in his cards to take a gamble as Ballman Brother’s farming with two of his brothers, as he took bragging rights to being “The Boss”, and they were the Ballman Bro’s where he had for decades been “The Boss”. He was a regular to the Cleveland elevator; the farmer driving checking the crops; the guy at the highway ag building and tractor parts stores like Arnolds. He also worked at the LeSueur foundry for many years as a security guard.

He gave married life another gambling try in 1980, but that ended in divorce as well. He was a winner again with two children, a son Derrick and daughter Andrea.

Denny was a fixture at many local watering holes, being a regular at Patricks’ and Whiskey River. He also was a stapple at The Chateau Supper Club, Kokomo’s and the Cleveland Muni. If he wasn’t bellied up at a local Bar, he could be off on a trip to Las Vegas. He gambled at local Casinos, as well as Publisher Clearing House, along with raffle tickets, pull tabs and the Minnesota lottery.

Denny will forever be a Gambling Bar enthusiast, Farmer, Father, Brother, Grandpa, and Friend.

As he is greatly missed may he be bellied up where the taps run freely and the pull tabs are all winners.

For all who have passed prior may he be at peace with them and especially his first-born Denise.

So take a gamble and please join for an informal Celebration of Life of Denny B on July 24th at The Cleveland Muni from 4p-7pm. Tell a story, joke, or memory in his honor, and see the bench outside dedicated to his life.