Richard Alan ("Dikki") Ball

Richard Alan (“Dikki”) Ball, 64, Kansas City, KS passed away October 28th, 2024, at home after a brief battle with cancer. Memorial services are planned for springtime in 2025 at a place and date to be determined. Please post stories, pictures, and memories to his memorial website at www.mcgilleyhoge.com, and in lieu of flowers, we encourage contributions be made to Water.org.

Dikki was born in Mobile, Alabama on December 22, 1959 to Howard and Elaine (Kettle) Ball. Being in the Air Force, the family traveled constantly throughout his younger years until settling in Sedalia, Missouri. Dikki graduated from Smith Cotton High School in 1978 and attended State Fair Community College in Sedalia on an athletic scholarship for two years prior to attending the University of Missouri – Rolla (Missouri S&T) on a baseball scholarship, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Engineering Management. Dikki always said he was told he needed a 2.0 to graduate and he got as close to that number as possible!

Dikki held positions at several companies including Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Owens Corning, House of Lloyd, and settling in the paper recycling industry with Republic Recycling. In May of 2000, his entrepreneurial spirit inspired him to branch out on his own, starting up RAB Ventures, LLC, a paper recycling firm, until his recent retirement.

Dikki had a passion for sports from a young age. He played baseball then fast pitch softball into his forties competing at the upper levels of the sport on a national level. He loved golf, playing courses throughout the country, plus a few trips to Scotland with close friends. He had a passion for fishing, participating in tournaments around the nation. Dikki was infamous for his tailgating at the KC Chiefs and Mizzou Tigers football games.

Dikki never met a stranger. His special power was making friends for a lifetime and being the catalyst and glue maintaining those friendships. His love always shown brightly for a huge network of family and friends, and his positive outlook on life was contagious. He was the founding member of the Blacksheep at UMR (“It’s good to be King of Ewes”). Our favorite Dick was so special- he held us with his love in his capable hands. Our lives will not be the same without our king, we need to continue to be this family, a real family, and we now we have to do it on our own. Dikki said he lived a blessed life and passed away peacefully and quietly overlooking a golf course.