Dante Ballesteros, 19, Dickinson, died unexpectedly on Monday, March 18, 2024 at his home due to health complications. Dante’s Celebration of Life Service will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson with Pastor Tyler Doohen as officiant. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Entombment will take place at the Dickinson Mausoleum.
Dante Santiago Ballesteros was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital on February 1, 2005 in Dickinson, the son of Daniel Ballesteros Jr. and Rebecca Sand. He was raised in Dickinson where he attended Roosevelt Elementary, Berg Elementary and Dickinson Middle School. Dante graduated from Dickinson High School in 2023. He worked at Sanford Grub and Pub.
Dante was a child who wasn’t born with much, but was born to love and be loved. He loved his hobbies and interests such as: Legos, Transformers, Linkin Park, exotic cars, and video games. And he also fiercely loved his family, especially his little brother, Damien, who looked up to his older brother as a hero and inspiration. And Dante was indeed an inspirational hero to many. He long-braved a semi-rare condition in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, he braved bullying and mockery from some of his peers, and he braved being different. But I don’t think Dante minded the latter and instead wore it as a badge of honor. He was a burning star in a sometimes dark landscape—the Batman to all of the lame jokers of the world. He was someone that his family and friends looked to for an easy smile and infectious laugh that made you feel like the luckiest person alive. Our son was so…so…so well-loved…but I’m not sure that he fully realized that. But I hope that he does now.
We will spend the rest our lives missing our beautiful, wonderful, stubborn, misunderstood, philosophical, sometimes innocent to a fault: son, brother, nephew, cousin, grandson, and great-grandson…our one and only Dante. And we will forever be left to pick up the pieces of the wondrous, shattered world he left behind.
Dante is survived by his mom, Rebecca (fiancé, Robert Krebs) Sand; his dad, Daniel (Sara) Ballesteros; his younger brother, Damien Ballesteros; grandparents, Luz Maria Traxler, Dolores and Kirby Benson; aunts and uncles, Brad and Dena Sand, Felix and Samantha Ballesteros, and Jetney Monzon; cousins, Lauren Sand, Beau and Adecyn Ballesteros; his girlfriend, Madison Falcon; along with numerous extended family members, great-aunts, great-uncles, and many cousins.
Dante was preceded in death by his grandfather, Daniel Ballesteros Sr., and his grandparents, Ken and Susan Sand; his great-grandparents, Felix Ballesteros and Victoriana Ramos; and great-grandma, Marlene Stanley.
