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John Ballouz aka stinsonbeach


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It is with a heavy heart and fond memories that we say farewell to longtime shooter, friend, and fellow Enos member John Ballouz after losing a courageous battle with cancer.

I knew John from shooting USPSA here in North Florida and he welcomed me from the very start. His unassuming manner made him instantly approachable and his kind and supportive words never fell on deaf ears. As a beginner in the sport he always took the time to encourage, rather than criticize performance. He was a regular at SAPSA and Ancient City and you could count on him to be there month after month sporting his bandana, safari hat, and dragging his crappy chair between stages. Sometimes his gun ran, other times it didn't but he never packed it in because of an iffy batch of ammo. He was there to shoot, and to be a part of the sport that we all hold so dear.

I last saw John at the end of December. Having been on the sidelines for several months due to injury I hadn't been attending any matches but with John, being out of sight didn't mean you were out of mind. I needed a scope and he insisted I have one of his, an act of generosity and kindness that left a lasting impression on me. A gift from a friend that much like the memories I have of the banter, the laughter, and the sometimes catastrophic failures on the range, will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Goodbye John, you made me a better man for knowing you. Rest in peace brother.

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So very sorry to hear this. John was one of the first people to greet me into this sport of ours and always had a joke, or a snappy comeback when I had a bad run to help me laugh and forget about it. You were a great man, John, and this is entire world is worse off without you in it. Fair winds, my brother.

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In May of last year we had a discussion on his .45 XD. It does not seem that long ago. I had noticed that he was not posting much lately. He was a great guy to talk to, a real pleasure. I miss him already. It really saddens me to see him go. RIP my friend.

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