Richard C. Ball Jr.

Richard Charles Ball Jr. passed away at 56 years old on January 1st, 2016 in Houston, Texas. Many of you know that he struggled bravely against a notoriously aggressive form of brain cancer, Glioblastoma multiforme. In the early hours of New Year’s Day, with his family by his side, our father, beloved partner, and friend went in his sleep at the MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Ricky grew up in beautiful Western New York, in a house full of fun and festivity. As his family and many of his childhood friends will remember, the man could never keep himself indoors for very long. He spent his early adulthood in Florida, where he cut his teeth in the area of building and construction, but ultimately settled in Houston, Texas with his first wife, Ann, and his two sons, Weston and Riley. In the last decade, his family grew even larger, with the addition of his partner Christie Torres and her daughters, Tiffany and Cortney. Those of you who knew Ricky well know of his passions for all things manual. An avid carpenter, builder, and tinkerer, he was a jack of all trades that could bring his visions to life in much the same way that an artist does. Nobody could light up a gathering of friends and family the way he could; he welcomed every stranger as a friend. Though at times he could be boisterous and even brash, Ricky had a remarkably soft heart, and was known by those closest to him for sacrificing his own time and resources for family, friends, and acquaintances alike. The sheer size of his spirit and personality will leave an irreplaceable space in all of our hearts and minds.

Ricky is survived by his sons, Weston and Riley; his partner, Christie Torres; her daughters, Tiffany and Cortney; his sisters Betsy, Debi, and Cherie; and his father, Richard Charles Ball Sr. Our Ricky’s last year of living and comfort could not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of all of the caregivers at MD Anderson’s Brain and Spine Center. We as a family will be forever grateful to those friends and family who stuck by us in these incredibly trying circumstances, and who brightened Ricky’s final year with friendship, love, and laughs. Thank you all.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00pm on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at Pat H. Foley & Company, 1200 W. 34th Street, Houston, Texas 77018.