Louis died July 18, 2017, at his home in Seymour, Ill.
Born in Oklahoma, he was the son of Delores Lookout Ballard of the Osage Nation and Louis W. Ballard of the Quapaw tribe. Louis had the Quapaw tribal name of Kada Ska Hunka (Sacred White Eagle) and participated from childhood in the Osage ceremonial dances, Quapaw dances, and the Native American Church.
Louis came to Princeton after graduating from Brophy College Prep in Phoenix. He roomed freshman year at the Princeton Inn. Louis represented our class in Cane Spree.
After one year, Louis transferred to the University of Colorado, where he earned a BFA in 1978. He earned a certificate in 3-D design at the Santa Fe Institute of American Indian Arts in 1989, followed by an MFA in art and design from the University of Illinois in 1992.
He settled in Illinois and taught art and ceramics at Danville Community College. More recently, he was a part-time ceramics instructor at Parkland College while employed as a cook at the Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.
The class officers extend deepest sympathy to his life partner, Connie Hamilton; his children, Louis III and Simone; two grandchildren; and extended family.