Carol Chiles Ballard

Carol Chiles Ballard, of Houston, died peacefully on Sunday, the 16th of November 2025, at home surrounded by her family, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She was born in Seagraves, Texas, on the 28th of March 1940, the daughter of Wilma Klein and Harrell Edmonds “Eddie” Chiles. She was 85 years of age.

Carol’s family moved to Midland in 1948. She lived an active and full life there, loved by all her friends, winning numerous art awards in local contests. Carol was selected to be the Art Editor of the Annual her senior year, graduating in 1958 from Midland High School. In 1959, Carol was a Minuet Club Debutante in Midland and was later named the Duchess of the Rose Growers at the Tyler Rose Festival. She graduated from Briarcliff College in 1960 and then went on to earn a BFA in Studio Art at the University of Texas at Austin in 1963. She studied at the San Francisco Art Institute and attended the University of Texas Law School. In 1964, Carol relocated to Houston to pursue a career in interior design. She met Andrew Leslie “Les” Ballard at the wedding of a mutual friend, and their courtship began at the Chateau Dijon, where they both resided. They were married in Houston in 1969 and were blessed with their only child, Leslie, in 1974. Carol and her family cherished spending time between their homes in Houston, Texas, and Newport, Rhode Island.

Carol’s diverse educational background was the foundation of a life dedicated to preservation, philanthropy, and the arts. In Houston, she was a Trustee, Vice President, and former Chairwoman of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and a Trustee of the Houston Ballet Foundation. She also served as the founding Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Rienzi Collection. Additionally, Carol was on the advisory council for The University of Texas College of Fine Arts and a trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. She was a member of The River Oaks Garden Club, The National Society of Colonial Dames of America, and Pi Beta Phi Sorority.

In Newport, Carol served on the Executive Committee for the Preservation Society of Newport County. She was fiercely loyal to historical preservation and land conservation efforts, as shown in her endeavors to save the Isaac Bell House and preserve land on Aquidneck Island by creating the Carol C. Ballard Park and Wildlife Preserve. This seventy-five-acre sanctuary is perhaps Carol’s greatest gift, offering an immediate immersion into nature full of woodlands, salt marshes, and hiking trails. Her dedication and commitment to these organizations have left a lasting impact and a legacy carried on by her family.

Carol was known for her spirited personality, which she likely inherited from her father, Eddie Chiles. Eddie was renowned for his 1970s radio show offering political commentary in support of small businesses and limited government, a platform that inspired the famous bumper stickers: “I’m mad too, Eddie!” He was the founder of the Western Company, famous for slogans such as “If you don’t have an oil well, get one. You’ll love doing business with Western,” and later owned the Texas Rangers baseball team, which he sold to a group of investors led by George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States.

Carol will be remembered for her kindness, dedication, and her welcoming spirit.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother, Jerry Edmonds Chiles.

She is survived by her husband, Les; her daughter, Leslie Ballard Hull and her husband Mark; and her granddaughter, Katherine Ballard Hull, whom Carol adored.

The family would like to thank the River Oaks Doctors Group, Madeline Bunch, Amy Mynderse, and her devoted caregivers, Maria Torres and Adela Diaz.

A private graveside service will be held at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances donations may be made in Carol’s memory to the charity of one’s choice.

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