Louis A. Ballard passed away on July 18, 2017 at his home in Seymour, Illinois. He was born October 30, 1954 in Pawhuska, Oklahoma to Louis W. Ballard of the Quapaw Tribe and Delores Lookout Ballard of the Osage Nation. He attended Princeton University in 1972-1973 and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Colorado in 1978. He obtained a Certificate in 3-D Design at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1989. He then received a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Illinois in 1992.
For many years he was a ceramics instructor at Parkland College and Danville Area Community College. He was employed as a cook at the Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, Illinois. He had the Quapaw Indian name of Kada Ska Hunka (Sacred White Eagle). From a young age he was a participant in the Osage ceremonial dances, Quapaw dances, and the Native American Church.
He is survived by his children Louis A. Ballard III and Simone A. Ballard; grandchildren Kyron and Michaela Ballard; sister Anne Quetone; brother Charles C. Ballard; nieces Avis Ballard, Jenna Quetone, Erin Casoose and Carly Ballard; great-nephews Lucas Quetone and Nathan Dreadfulwater; and by his life partner Connie Hamilton.
Louis was very active in his community and will be greatly missed. In accordance with his wishes he was cremated and his remains will be interred in the Pawhuska, Oklahoma cemetery at a later date.
By
Osage News
Original Publish Date: 2017-08-02 00:00:00
