EL DORADO – Ballinger, Ralph Earl, 73, longtime El Dorado City Employee, passed away on January 14, 2022 at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital. Ralph was born on January 8, 1949 in El Dorado to Wesley Orne and Georgia Frances {Jackson} Ballinger. For much of his life Ralph lived on Rt. 3 by the railroad track and the river and attended El Dorado High. Ralph was married to Susan Erwin in El Dorado on November 24, 1967 and they spent 50 + years growing their family in the El Dorado area. He had a strong work ethic and worke for the City of El Dorado Utilities Department for 40 years; first at the Water Treatment facility and then at the Wastewater Treatment Plant; most recently as a lab tech taking samples. He loved his Big Yellow Dump Truck and thought the new tractor with tracks was really cool to drive. Ralph’s 4th of July show was well known for being a big bang and he always enjoyed “blowing up the neighborhood”. He loved watching football; especially the Chiefs; and WWE wrestling and would record it on VHS and it was 100% real. Ralph was very passionate about fishing as an avid catfisherman and enjoyed hunting prairie chicken and pheasant and just being outdoors in general especially if he could be camping or boating on the lake with his family. The Walnut River was like a second home to Ralph and he knew it from North to South and the best spots to be at. Family was his greatest passion however and he loved spending anytime he could with his children and grandchildren. He was known as a teacher to them all even his brother including teaching them all to fish, many to hunt, rebuilding old trucks and riding motorcycles, which was a joy he shared with many of his family members. Harleys were his go to and his first one was bought by his family and parked on the driveway; it was a toy one; the later when he retired he bought 2 as a gift to himself ending up with a sportster, heritage and a trike. Being on his bike was a great joy and he often joined the Cassoday and Potwin Bike Run and the Butler County Toy Run. One of Ralph’s favorite past times was waking up early, sitting on the porch with his dogs and black coffee watching the traffic go by.
Ralph is survived by his wife Susan; children Lori Ballinger, Krista Todd(Chris), Ralph Wesley Ballinger and Vickie Wyant; sister Delores Marshall; grandchildren Noah Thompson, Dakotah Winter(Bri), Dayton Winter(Emily), Dallas Winter, Rusty Ballinger and AJ Hicks; great grandchild Samuel; his Westie Spike; many nieces, nephews, other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Wesley and Georgia; siblings Robert“Bob” and Joyce Rood and other dogs Bandit and Twiggy.
Viewing will be held on Tuesday, January 18 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at Heritage Funeral Home, 216 E. Central, El Dorado with Graveside services at Sunset Lawns Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. Family will hold a reception at the Train Depot at 4:00 p.m. following the graveside and asks that family and friends join them there to share stories and memories of Ralph.
Memorial donations may be made in Ralph’s memory El Dorado Animal Control Shelter, 222 E Locust Ave, El Dorado, KS 67042.
