I can't express how much Elfie gave the world. He is a true hero, saint and spirit.
After a year long battle against cancer and age, Elfie has finally left us.
Early this morning Elfie called me, and a few minutes after I was with him he breathed his last physical breath.
Yesterday he was telling Dr. Ruth and me that he felt himself flying over the Earth, then felt himself become one with the Earth... and the rocks. The he smiled and cautioned us to "Be careful when you are messing with my rocks!"
He left us with grace and good humor, appreciative of all the assistance offered him. He never cared for the concept of ashes to ashes, and preferred flower to flower. So I share my favorite image that I took with him laying on the Earth - in the lap of Big Mama - and peeking though bright wildflowers on SunMt.
Thanks you for all the loving e-messages. He saw most of them, if he was not able to respond.
He was very weak and tired at the end.
The Endgame Party was his memorial service.
Maia Ballis
See Elfie's incredible life time work. He is a true hero
http://www.sunmt.org/intro.html*********************************************************************************************************************************
Here is how many of you knew of Elfie Balis:
1964 Fannie Lou Hamer when
credential committee decided not to fully recognize Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party delegates
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Remembering George Ballis
KFCF will re-air the End Game Party tribute to George this Saturday, September 25th at 7:00 PM. Pacific time
http://www.kfcf.us/ (you can listen on line)
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By Alex Vavoulis
I first met George Ballis when I was president of the Fresno Free College Foundation and manager of KFCF radio. The radio station started broadcasting on June 9, 1975. One of the big political issues at that time was the Federal regulations governing the use of water for agricultural purposes on the basis of the farmer owning 160 acres of land. For the corporate farmers with thousands of acres of farm land it was easy to circumvent the law. They just put 160 acre parcels in the name of a family member.
George Ballis could not sit by and watch this misuse of a law which was intended to help small farmers. When a Senate sub-committee came to Fresno to hold hearings, George, who was very knowledgeable in agricultural issues, saw an opportunity to help the small farmer. The hearings took place in the auditorium at Fresno City College, in the late 1970s and were broadcast live on KFCF. I could still see George rolling a huge file cabinet filled with folders about the 160 acre legislation onto the stage of the auditorium. It was a sight to see!
George was into a lot of political and social issues; he seemed to be everywhere. At a back yard at the home of Chris and Howard Watkins, I quipped to George that there are people in Fresno who are masquerading as George Ballis.
In 1978 he presented the Fresno Free College Foundation with a slide show at its 10th Anniversary celebration. The show that he produced with Maia Sortor, was a wonderful history, with narration and music, of the Foundation’s first 10-years. That slide show has been transferred to a DVD and is catalogued at the Henry Madden Library at CSUF and at the Fresno County Library.
The Board of Directors of the Foundation shares the sorrow that is felt by many members of the community. It is not easy to lose someone who made such a positive contribution to human rights; our community lost a fighter who wanted peace and justice for all human beings. To individuals who joined the battle with him, they lost a comrade-in-arms. George will be alive in our grieving and in our thoughts.
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Here is a Elfie being one with the Earth while he was still alive
http://my.fresnoarts.net/profile/GeorgeElfieBallis Rest in Peace Elfie, I know you will be with all of us who see Justice
I was bless to have known you.