Seldom in our lives do we meet people who despite all circumstances are truly themselves, Mike was such a person. He unabashedly walked to the beat of his own drummer, gleefully and at times defiantly out of step with the rest of us. Through all the moments of laughter and tears Mike restlessly forged his own path, one which we would not and could not follow. It was perhaps this turbulence of his soul that led Mike to leave us all too soon. Now we wait with baited breath for a time in which we might all be reunited. We love and miss you Mike, and we always will. Mike is preceded in death by his father, Don Ballard; and his grandparents, Paul and Nina Ballard, and Tommy and Opal Gray. He is survived by his mother, Cheryl Ballard; his sister, Sunnie; his brother, Dan Cowan; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Graveside services will be held at Shafter Memorial Park, Friday April 13th beginning at 2:00PM.