Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Former Iowa Mr. Leather and computer programmer Ken Ballard dies at 43
by Carrie Maxwell
2022-01-21

This article shared 5279 times since Fri Jan 21, 2022
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Former Iowa Mr. Leather, computer programmer and gay Chicagoan Ken Meverick Ballard died Jan. 11 in his Lake View home at the age of 43. The cause of death is currently unknown.

Ballard was born July 9, 1978, in Des Moines, Iowa where he spent his entire childhood. At 8, Ballard started teaching himself to code. He graduated from North High School in Des Moines and started his career shortly thereafter.

In a quote from a memoir written by Ballard about his life he said, "I got my first computer when I was eight years old. I started writing code on it and learned what would later be my craft at an early age. I would buy magazines with code in the back of them. I was such a slow typist with my tiny fingers, Mom would type the program in and I would change and expand it."

Ballard worked in the programming field for 20 years, most recently at Slalom as a Solutions Principal. He also worked at Nerdery for five years as a principal software engineer and computer serviceman. At each of his jobs, Ballard moved up the promotion ladder into leadership roles and, according to his family, was loved by his colleagues.

Additionally, Ballard taught free programming skills to children and adolescents across Chicago through his involvement at the non-profit CoderDojo (now We All Code), where he also served as a principal board member. He also volunteered at the Lake View Food Pantry and, with other team members, created a Chicago COVID tracking app.

Ballard was known to his family and friends as a "walking Google."

Among Ballard's other interests were playing the trombone and piano. His trombone skills led to an article in the Drake University newspaper, where he took lessons from one of the university professors.

Shortly after being named Iowa Mr. Leather in 2005, Ballard moved to Chicago, where he spent most of the rest of his life.

A practicing Zen Buddhist, Ballard also went on a sabbatical at the Green Gulch Farm of the Zen Buddhist Center in the San Francisco area for a time where he worked in the farm's kitchen and garden due to his love of cooking. He also took culinary arts classes and during the COVID-19 pandemic hosted a family Zoom that he called "Cooking with Ken" where the family prepared and ate meals together.

Ballard was an avid biker—even in inclement weather that would result in injuries—and was a frequent participant in Chicago's World Naked Bike Ride. He also organized group bike rides with friends and co-workers.

Additionally, Ballard loved attending big concerts and performances. He also played his djembe (a type of drum) at the Chicago Full Moon Jam among other recreational endeavors.

He was an avid and spontaneous traveler. Journeys included a recent road trip across the country as well as several months spent in India and Nepal. He loved meeting new people and spending time with family and friends.

Ballard is survived by his mother, Rose Eaves; father, Michael Ballard; sister, Jennifer (Brendan) Carroll; nephews Brian and Devin; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; countless chosen family members and friends; and his cat, Karen.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Stan and Letha Ballard and Leon and Mary Ohnemus Eaves.

Ballard's mother said, "Ken loved to spend time with his paternal grandma, Letha Ballard. She taught him how to knit, crochet, played board games with him and also frequently cooked and baked with him. His love for cooking and baking came from their experiences together, and he loved sharing his talent with others as an adult. He would go to his grandma to work on the Saturdays that she worked at a law firm in downtown Des Moines. She was the only surviving grandparent as he was growing up and they had a very close relationship.

"Ken was a very good baby, did not cry much and was a pure joy. He always had a smile on his face and was very curious and inquisitive. He loved singing, dancing and laughing as a young boy. As he got older, I had to buy a set of encyclopedias that will date him in order to keep up with his inquisitive mind. He was in the Talented and Gifted program from the 6th grade on. Ken had a gentle and quiet spirit, but certainly could be the life of the party and brought much joy and happiness to all around him, especially his family."

"Rose and I blocked each other on Facebook without knowing it," said his aunt Leah Eaves. "I remember Ken telling us not to try and fix our own computers and to wait for him to do it."

"Ken was well-loved by many extended family and lifelong friends," said his aunt Ann Huffman. "He was a friend to everyone he met. His enthusiasm and love impacted all whose life he touched. Ken leaves a hold in our hearts as big as his laugh and as wide as his smile. He was a beacon of light, laughter and compassion for his family, friends and all he met. Ken's light will be missed, but his flame will ever light the torch that glows within everyone whose life he touched."

"His laughter always brought joy. He loved hard and always made sure you knew it," said his cousin Amy Eaves. "He was brilliant and bold. May he glitter on in our hearts."

"Ken was the hub of the Eaves cousins," said Sara Huffman, one of his cousins. "We all grew up together and he made sure we all stayed close and connected over the years. He was brave and always lived his life truthfully, which paved the way for me and others to come out and be who we are, too. There are genuinely no words to express what he meant to me."

"Ken was a really great uncle to our kids," said another cousin, Mike Street. "He always went above and beyond to see the joy in their eyes."

"Ken always showed up as a friend," said longtime friend John Michael Colgin. "I called him 'Fun Monster.' Thankfully, he was so funny that it is hard to think about him without laughing. He would often say engineers need artists and artists need engineers in reference to our friendship. Little lessons like avoiding insularity will always be with me in how I live and relate to my community. I will miss introducing him to those I care about."

"I met him in eighth grade at the half-day magnet school for smart kids in Des Moines," said another friend, Melissa Dally. "He was so much fun and hilarious even back then. We were both obsessed with Star Trek: The Next Generation. He became my best friend. We would have these intense long phone calls and sent each other long handwritten letters. I could not ask for a better friend. I am glad we reconnected in recent years."

"I moved to Chicago 13 years ago and met Ken at a community event," said yet longtime friend, Jake Bridgewater. "He invited me over to his place and I did not leave for three days. For the first month of knowing me, he thought I was in the closet looking for guidance when really I just wanted a friend. He is like my girlfriend. Only later did I find out he called me 'Straight Jake'."

"Ken was a self-made man and never forgot that," said former Nerdery work colleague and friend Gregg Walrod. "Anytime he could, he was volunteering in the community. Whether it be serving food or teaching the next generation of coders. Ken did everything he could to give back to others. The only thing larger than Ken's laugh was his heart. He always made you feel like you were the most important person in the world when you were with him. Anytime anyone moved to the city or visited he made sure they felt welcomed."

"He was constantly thinking of others, putting people first and leading with empathy," said Slalom work colleague Anne Halliday. "Someone described him recently as a 'fierce friend' which is just so fitting. He celebrated authenticity so freely in a way that we could all learn from. His laugh was so distinct, genuine and contagious. He was super smart, wonderful at his job, always learning more and excited about making an impact. He and Karen the Kitty simply made work fun for everyone around him. He had such a huge personality so the hole left behind seems all the quieter."

Ballard's Chicago friends held a "Sunday Funday" to honor his life at one of his favorite Chicago bars, Carol's Pub, in Uptown on Jan. 16.

A GoFundMe account has been launched, with the proceeds going to a mental health charity of the family's choosing; see www.gofundme.com/f/remembering-ken .


This article shared 5279 times since Fri Jan 21, 2022
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

PASSAGES Dorothy Elizabeth McGroarty
2024-03-14
Dorothy Elizabeth McGroarty, 82, of The Breakers at Edgewater Beach, and a former resident of Andersonville, passed away Feb. 16 surrounded by her loving family. Born in Dearborn, Michigan, Dorothy was raised on Chicago's South and ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Bryan Dean Wilson
2024-03-14
Bryan Dean Wilson, 64, of Chicago, passed away March 11. Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bryan graduated from Washington High school in Cedar Rapids before earning his B.S. in Biology from Mount Mercy University, also in ...


Gay News

PASSAGES: Former Chicago Commission on Human Relations chair Clarence Wood
2024-03-13
LGBTQ ally and former Chicago Commission on Human Relations (CCHR) Chair and Commissioner Clarence N. Wood died March 5. He was 83. Wood was born April 14, 1940, in Alabama. While primarily raised in Alabama, Wood ...


Gay News

Longtime LGBTQ+-rights activist David Mixner dies at 77
2024-03-12
On March 11, longtime LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS activist David Mixner—known for working on Bill Clinton's presidential campaign but then splitting from him over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT)—died at age 77, The Advocate reported. ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund remembers co-founder David Mixner
2024-03-12
--From a press release - Today, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund President & CEO Mayor Annise Parker released the following statement on the passing of LGBTQ+ civil rights activist and LGBTQ+ Victory Fund co-founder David Mixner: "Today, we lost David Mixner, a founding ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Charles R. Tobin
2024-03-03
Charles R. Tobin, 81, peacefully passed away on Dec. 23, 2023, in the company of his husband, after living with Lewey body dementia for several years. Charlie was born and raised in the Fernwood neighborhood on ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Trailblazing judge and attorney Patricia M. Logue passes away
2024-02-26
The Honorable Patricia Logue ("Pat" to her friends, Trish" to her family) was a brilliant lawyer, a trailblazing jurist and a hero to the LGBTQ community. Pat's legacy includes numerous landmark cases she litigated over her ...


Gay News

Oklahoma non-binary student dies after being assaulted
2024-02-21
Officials acknowledged there are unresolved questions about a 16-year-old non-binary Oklahoma student who died one day after a fight in a high school bathroom, NBC News noted. Chuck Hoskin Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, ...


Gay News

GLAAD remembers Cecilia Gentili, transgender Latina, actress, activist, health care activist, journalist
2024-02-06
--From a press release - (New York, NY - February 6, 2024) GLAAD, the world's largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, is responding to the death of transgender actress and advocate Cecilia Gentili and elevating voices of transgender and political leaders honoring ...


Gay News

More information emerges about death on Atlantis gay cruise
2024-02-04
By Lu Calzada - Further details have emerged following the death of a Chicago man on a Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas Atlantis cruise targeted towards gay men. Following a Reddit post by the man's sister — which has ...


Gay News

PASSAGES Imperial Court's Scott Archer remembered as selfless, devoted
2024-02-04
By Alec Karam - As the old saying goes, we all have an angel on one shoulder, and a devil on the other. Well, Scott Archer was all angel, his best friend Herman Coen believes. "Everybody wanted to talk to Scott, because Scott was Scott," ...


Gay News

Mr. Chicago Leather 2024 at Touche, Vince Jay takes title
2024-02-02
A diverse group of people from around the world gathered at Touché Chicago for the Mr. Chicago Leather 2024 Contest the evening of Jan. 27. Ammar Houssamo hosted the event, at which Mr. Chicago Leather 2022-23 ...


Gay News

Mr. Chicago Leather contest returns to Touche following 2022 controversy
2024-02-01
The Mr. Chicago Leather contest returned this past weekend, January 26-28, to Touché Chicago, over a year after numerous community members were incensed by a racist incident. But the bartender who quit Touché following the incident ...


Gay News

Broadway star Chita Rivera dies at 91
2024-01-30
Chita Rivera—a Broadway legend with more than seven decades of credits—has died at age 91 after a short illness, People Magazine reported. "It is with immense personal sorrow that I announce the death of the beloved ...


Gay News

Leather Archives & Museum announces 2024 Fetish Film Forum
2024-01-27
--From a press release - CHICAGO, Illinois—After a wildly successful inaugural year, including a 10-film series at the Leather Archives & Museum and a 5-film series at FACETS, the Leather Archives & Museum is thrilled to announce the continuation of Fetish ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.