RIP RC Model sad news

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Very sad to hear of RC's passing. He was extremely knowledgeable and will definitely be missed on THR.
Bull thanks for posting and may RC rest peacefully.
 
It's taken me a while to get my thoughts together and make a post in this thread. RC's death rocked me pretty good.

First, the mortuary link is here. They don't have an obit posted yet but comments are open on the condolences section.

http://www.warrenmcelwain.com/obituary/richard-ballard

Next, I want to share a portion of a PM I received from RC before he went on the ventilator.

As with many members here who formed a personal relationship with RC, he and I had many a long conversation over the years, about family, life, etc. He took care of his wife, who had alzheimers, right up until he was literally on his death bed. He was a strong man and took it upon himself to provide for her care, alone, right up to the point he could not physically do it any longer.

This board and his time spent here was his anchor point during that ordeal as Wilma's disease progressed. It was his way of coping with it. He had lots of friends here, who he would lay it all out to, and who would listen.

RC was an open book. What you saw was what you got. He'd tell it like it is, whether or not you'd like what he had to say. Straight shooter if there ever was one.

His only wish at the end was for another conversation or two with his wife.

It shows where his mindset was before the end. It shows where his heart was.

RC's struggles the last couple of years were tough, but he faced that battle with courage when it would have broken a lesser man. He was calm and brave right up to the very end.

rcmodel said:
I'm not frustrated, mad, or frightened.
Just wanting a solid definitive answer from the doctors, one way or another??

I've had a long and wonderful life compared to most people I know.
A wonderful marriage, and wonderful wife and family.
A fast track NCO path to AMU Marksmanship in the Army. (Easy duty I loved)
A great working carrier with a mostly machine work job I loved & was very good at.
A lifetime of gunsmithing, pretty good knife making, and decent leatherwork too.

(Which is all probably mostly responsible for this lung **** now. But I loved doing every minute of it, and would do it all again anyway.)

Every fast car, truck, motorcycles, and bass boat they made back then that I wanted.
Every hunting, SD, and collector gun I ever wanted.
Hunting & fishing for everything I ever wanted to go after.

Now, that life is gone forever, regardless of whether I get over this or not.
There's nothing left I need or want to do now, except wish they could fix my wife's mind, and my lungs right now. And we could talk about all the good times one more time or two!

But I'm not mad, or sad at all.
I thought I would die in Vietnam, but I didn't.
I thought I would die on a super-bike or fast car of the day, but I didn't.

Like the man said.
If I had known I was going to live this long back then, I would have taken better care of myself!!

But I'm not mad, or frightened.
Just resigned to accept whatever they tell me (hopefully today) and get on with another stage of life.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for RC. It's not just what he shared with us, knowledge wise. It's that he shared *everything* and left nothing out. He didn't cut out or filter the ugly parts, or the sad parts, or the happy parts. You got him, the real him, full time, all the time.

Few men could lay claim that they are such a caliber of honest, truthful man.

Fewer men could claim it and have it actually ring true.

RC was one of those rare men.

People say we are diminished by his passing. This is absolutely correct.

But, I say we were enlightened and made greater by his living, and as evidenced by his attitude right up until the very end, even in passing there was another lesson.

I hope to face my fate some day with the same matter of fact, stoic attitude he did, and if I ever face hard times in my life as RC faced with his wife's disease, I would be proud indeed if I could summon even a fraction of his strength and determination.

He was indeed one of the greats, to the shooting community. Not just through sheer volume and quality of information exchange, but through the very example he set, while living and going on about his life.

I hope that by sharing that last PM with his words spoken in private, those of you who knew him on a personal level, or grieving over his loss, will find the same comfort they have given me over the last few days. That PM was in response to a PM I sent trying to console him. He turned it right around and consoled me! Such was the man.

I have tried to pass those words on to those who I know knew him on a personal level, but after reading through this thread I now see that (after 320+ posts) that was a woefully inefficient method of delivery.

The love and respect people had for RC was real, and palpable here.

Live good lives, do good things, pass the knowledge and values down to the next generation. That's what RC taught me.

My best thoughts to all of you. Follow his example and help others.

-T
 
Deeply saddened to learn of RC's passing. Thank you, Bull and others, for filling in the pieces. I did not know RC personally, but I will miss him all the same.
 
Trent, thank you for that very moving post. I have come to know some members on this forum through PM and email but RC was not one of them and I think I'm the worse for it. The response to his passing has been enlightening to say the least. I read many of his posts over the years and enjoyed his wit and knowledge. It saddens me that many of us only get to "know" someone when it's too late.
 
That is very sad news.
He helped me enough times and was a wealth of information.

I never could figure out whether his handle meant Radio controlled Model or Revolver Champion Model.

He was both and it really didn't matter what it stood for, I'm glad his picture was put on the forum so we could put a face to his name.

Easier for me to remember him that way.

RC, you can rest now. God be with you.
 
Can't say more than others have already said. RCModel helped me out with a few things in gunsmithing and reloading and of course his posts were always must-reads. He was a huge repository of knowledge and he'll be missed here and I am sure by his friends and family.
 
I just found out. I am so sorry for his family. I learned more from him than anyone else I know in the gun world. RIP rcmodel...
 
I thought that some of us in the area might like to know that a memorial service and visitation will be held on Sunday, 8/21, from 3 to 5 at the Warren McElwain funeral home in Lawrence, Ks.
 
I never met the man, but I wish I had. He was an incredible resource to all of us and we are worse off for his passing. He was one of the first to help me here when I got started and always gave good advice. Prayers and best wishes to his family.
 
Very sad news. My prayers are lifted for his family and friends as they say goodbye to the man we knew as rcmodel. Like I found out about so many people of Kansas, through the 5 years that I lived in the Western region of that great state , rcmodel was/is the 'salt of the earth'. Since joining THR, I found that posts submitted by rcmodel could be held with high regard as straightforward, extremely knowledgeable and accurate. His passion for wanting to assist people, (and supply them too!), speaks so much to why this forum is the one that I visit and absorb on a daily basis. Be with God rc, rejoice in His presence, we shall meet face to face some day. CCW
 
I don't have the words to convey the loss. May he rest in peace. May the family surviving him have comfort and be proud to know that he led by example. He is missed.
 
I joined THR today just so I could post my respects to this fine man.


Been a lurker for years, and have learned a lot, and immediately recognized RC as a voice to be listened to. Godspeed, my friend.
 
Sometimes I do a search and read through what RC has said on a topic, before I go start a post with a new question. Chances are, the man had already answered it!

it's sad that our window to him is closed.

To those who are in the know;
What does his family need? Is there any way I can help?
 
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