WICHITA — Ricky Dale Ball was born April 9, 1956, at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, to Paul and Loretta Ball.
He grew up in Parsons and graduated from Parsons Senior High School in 1975. After graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served his country honorably.
While in the Air Force, Ricky traveled all over the world and served his country with pride with periods of service spanning Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Storm. At the pinnacle of his career he got the nickname "The Old Pro" and served as the headquarters first sergeant for the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. In 1995 he retired from the military, in his words, so he could raise "kids and crabgrass."
After retiring from the Air Force, he took a job with the post office in Wichita, delivering mail and keeping a keen eye out for stray dogs.
It was always a sense of pride for him to brag about dodging and outsmarting yet another unleashed animal. On his mail routes Ricky was known for helping anyone he came in contact with, always checking on elderly customers and visiting them in the hospital if they were ill. He retired in 2015 to spend time with his family.
In 1974 he married Marilyn Foster and together they raised four children. Although they divorced in 1995, they remained lifelong friends.
In July 2003 he married the "Apple of his Eye," Cynthia Ann Winslow. Together they built a household of laughter and love. That household was always known to brothers, sisters, parents, sons, daughters, grandchildren and friends as a house where everyone felt at home.
Rick and Cindy both shared a love for traveling. That love led them to buy lakefront property on Grand Lake in Oklahoma. Oklahoma became Ricky's second home and that familiar sparkle in his eye would twinkle just a little bit brighter every time he went down to work on his property.
Aside from traveling Ricky was a father who was devoted to his children and took great pride and enjoyment watching his kids mature into adulthood and raise kids of their own. Grandchildren became one of his great passions in life, and "Papa Rick" was always ready to help them cause trouble and coach them on how to not get caught. Rick enjoyed tinkering in his shop, spending time fishing and trading stories with his brothers and sister, and he was also a devoted son who cherished time with his parents.
On July 10, 2015, Ricky found peace surrounded by his loving family at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita after a courageous battle with cancer. His last and greatest victory was refusing to let cancer define the person he was. Despite being ill for several years, Rick continued to live a full life taking care of his family up until the very end.
He was an inspiration to all he met and will be forever missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, parents and siblings.
He is survived by his wife, Cindy Ball of the home; four sons, Chad Ball of Wichita, Justin (Megan) Ball of Derby, Arun (Megan) Ball of Goddard and Kevin (Lori) Becker of Goddard; a daughter, Melissa Ball of Derby; his loving parents, Paul and Loretta of Parsons; three brothers, John (Nell) Ball, Darrel (Anne) Ball and Terry (Tamie) Ball, and a sister, Paula (Rick) Chaney, all of Parsons; six grandchildren, Elijah, Ethan, Blake, Will, Graham and Graycn; and a grumpy old dog, Sassy.
A private service is pending for family.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society and the Robert J. Dole VA Memorial Hospice Care Center.
He grew up in Parsons and graduated from Parsons Senior High School in 1975. After graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served his country honorably.
While in the Air Force, Ricky traveled all over the world and served his country with pride with periods of service spanning Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Storm. At the pinnacle of his career he got the nickname "The Old Pro" and served as the headquarters first sergeant for the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. In 1995 he retired from the military, in his words, so he could raise "kids and crabgrass."
After retiring from the Air Force, he took a job with the post office in Wichita, delivering mail and keeping a keen eye out for stray dogs.
It was always a sense of pride for him to brag about dodging and outsmarting yet another unleashed animal. On his mail routes Ricky was known for helping anyone he came in contact with, always checking on elderly customers and visiting them in the hospital if they were ill. He retired in 2015 to spend time with his family.
In 1974 he married Marilyn Foster and together they raised four children. Although they divorced in 1995, they remained lifelong friends.
In July 2003 he married the "Apple of his Eye," Cynthia Ann Winslow. Together they built a household of laughter and love. That household was always known to brothers, sisters, parents, sons, daughters, grandchildren and friends as a house where everyone felt at home.
Rick and Cindy both shared a love for traveling. That love led them to buy lakefront property on Grand Lake in Oklahoma. Oklahoma became Ricky's second home and that familiar sparkle in his eye would twinkle just a little bit brighter every time he went down to work on his property.
Aside from traveling Ricky was a father who was devoted to his children and took great pride and enjoyment watching his kids mature into adulthood and raise kids of their own. Grandchildren became one of his great passions in life, and "Papa Rick" was always ready to help them cause trouble and coach them on how to not get caught. Rick enjoyed tinkering in his shop, spending time fishing and trading stories with his brothers and sister, and he was also a devoted son who cherished time with his parents.
On July 10, 2015, Ricky found peace surrounded by his loving family at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita after a courageous battle with cancer. His last and greatest victory was refusing to let cancer define the person he was. Despite being ill for several years, Rick continued to live a full life taking care of his family up until the very end.
He was an inspiration to all he met and will be forever missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, parents and siblings.
He is survived by his wife, Cindy Ball of the home; four sons, Chad Ball of Wichita, Justin (Megan) Ball of Derby, Arun (Megan) Ball of Goddard and Kevin (Lori) Becker of Goddard; a daughter, Melissa Ball of Derby; his loving parents, Paul and Loretta of Parsons; three brothers, John (Nell) Ball, Darrel (Anne) Ball and Terry (Tamie) Ball, and a sister, Paula (Rick) Chaney, all of Parsons; six grandchildren, Elijah, Ethan, Blake, Will, Graham and Graycn; and a grumpy old dog, Sassy.
A private service is pending for family.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society and the Robert J. Dole VA Memorial Hospice Care Center.
WICHITA — Ricky Dale Ball was born April 9, 1956, at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, to Paul and Loretta Ball.
He grew up in Parsons and graduated from Parsons Senior High School in 1975. After graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served his country honorably.
While in the Air Force, Ricky traveled all over the world and served his country with pride with periods of service spanning Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Storm. At the pinnacle of his career he got the nickname "The Old Pro" and served as the headquarters first sergeant for the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. In 1995 he retired from the military, in his words, so he could raise "kids and crabgrass."
After retiring from the Air Force, he took a job with the post office in Wichita, delivering mail and keeping a keen eye out for stray dogs.
It was always a sense of pride for him to brag about dodging and outsmarting yet another unleashed animal. On his mail routes Ricky was known for helping anyone he came in contact with, always checking on elderly customers and visiting them in the hospital if they were ill. He retired in 2015 to spend time with his family.
In 1974 he married Marilyn Foster and together they raised four children. Although they divorced in 1995, they remained lifelong friends.
In July 2003 he married the "Apple of his Eye," Cynthia Ann Winslow. Together they built a household of laughter and love. That household was always known to brothers, sisters, parents, sons, daughters, grandchildren and friends as a house where everyone felt at home.
Rick and Cindy both shared a love for traveling. That love led them to buy lakefront property on Grand Lake in Oklahoma. Oklahoma became Ricky's second home and that familiar sparkle in his eye would twinkle just a little bit brighter every time he went down to work on his property.
Aside from traveling Ricky was a father who was devoted to his children and took great pride and enjoyment watching his kids mature into adulthood and raise kids of their own. Grandchildren became one of his great passions in life, and "Papa Rick" was always ready to help them cause trouble and coach them on how to not get caught. Rick enjoyed tinkering in his shop, spending time fishing and trading stories with his brothers and sister, and he was also a devoted son who cherished time with his parents.
On July 10, 2015, Ricky found peace surrounded by his loving family at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita after a courageous battle with cancer. His last and greatest victory was refusing to let cancer define the person he was. Despite being ill for several years, Rick continued to live a full life taking care of his family up until the very end.
He was an inspiration to all he met and will be forever missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, parents and siblings.
He is survived by his wife, Cindy Ball of the home; four sons, Chad Ball of Wichita, Justin (Megan) Ball of Derby, Arun (Megan) Ball of Goddard and Kevin (Lori) Becker of Goddard; a daughter, Melissa Ball of Derby; his loving parents, Paul and Loretta of Parsons; three brothers, John (Nell) Ball, Darrel (Anne) Ball and Terry (Tamie) Ball, and a sister, Paula (Rick) Chaney, all of Parsons; six grandchildren, Elijah, Ethan, Blake, Will, Graham and Graycn; and a grumpy old dog, Sassy.
A private service is pending for family.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society and the Robert J. Dole VA Memorial Hospice Care Center.
He grew up in Parsons and graduated from Parsons Senior High School in 1975. After graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served his country honorably.
While in the Air Force, Ricky traveled all over the world and served his country with pride with periods of service spanning Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Storm. At the pinnacle of his career he got the nickname "The Old Pro" and served as the headquarters first sergeant for the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. In 1995 he retired from the military, in his words, so he could raise "kids and crabgrass."
After retiring from the Air Force, he took a job with the post office in Wichita, delivering mail and keeping a keen eye out for stray dogs.
It was always a sense of pride for him to brag about dodging and outsmarting yet another unleashed animal. On his mail routes Ricky was known for helping anyone he came in contact with, always checking on elderly customers and visiting them in the hospital if they were ill. He retired in 2015 to spend time with his family.
In 1974 he married Marilyn Foster and together they raised four children. Although they divorced in 1995, they remained lifelong friends.
In July 2003 he married the "Apple of his Eye," Cynthia Ann Winslow. Together they built a household of laughter and love. That household was always known to brothers, sisters, parents, sons, daughters, grandchildren and friends as a house where everyone felt at home.
Rick and Cindy both shared a love for traveling. That love led them to buy lakefront property on Grand Lake in Oklahoma. Oklahoma became Ricky's second home and that familiar sparkle in his eye would twinkle just a little bit brighter every time he went down to work on his property.
Aside from traveling Ricky was a father who was devoted to his children and took great pride and enjoyment watching his kids mature into adulthood and raise kids of their own. Grandchildren became one of his great passions in life, and "Papa Rick" was always ready to help them cause trouble and coach them on how to not get caught. Rick enjoyed tinkering in his shop, spending time fishing and trading stories with his brothers and sister, and he was also a devoted son who cherished time with his parents.
On July 10, 2015, Ricky found peace surrounded by his loving family at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita after a courageous battle with cancer. His last and greatest victory was refusing to let cancer define the person he was. Despite being ill for several years, Rick continued to live a full life taking care of his family up until the very end.
He was an inspiration to all he met and will be forever missed by his wife, children, grandchildren, parents and siblings.
He is survived by his wife, Cindy Ball of the home; four sons, Chad Ball of Wichita, Justin (Megan) Ball of Derby, Arun (Megan) Ball of Goddard and Kevin (Lori) Becker of Goddard; a daughter, Melissa Ball of Derby; his loving parents, Paul and Loretta of Parsons; three brothers, John (Nell) Ball, Darrel (Anne) Ball and Terry (Tamie) Ball, and a sister, Paula (Rick) Chaney, all of Parsons; six grandchildren, Elijah, Ethan, Blake, Will, Graham and Graycn; and a grumpy old dog, Sassy.
A private service is pending for family.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society and the Robert J. Dole VA Memorial Hospice Care Center.
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