66-year-old Craig Ballard of Robinson, died May 25, at IU Health University Hospital in Indianapolis, IN. He was born November 26, 1954, in St. Louis, MO, the son of Carroll "Pap Shorty" & Dortha (Wheeler) Ballard. He grew up in the McLeansboro area, where his dad and siblings spent countless hours in the woods trapping. These years developed in him a love for the outdoors that he would hold for the rest of his life. Straight out of high school, he entered into the carpentry trade, work that led him and his oldest daughter, Amber, to Texas. Here, he met Susan Inboden, who he married in 1990. Not only did Craig work hard to support his young family financially, but he also used his carpentry talents to provide them with whatever they needed. In fact, the beds he made for his children were of such quality that they were able to be passed down to the next generation! In his early 50s, Craig's decades in the trade had led to severe problems with arthritis, to the point t