After leaving his childhood farm in Chelsea, OK, Chris worked and started a family in Massachusetts. After a decade, he returned to Chelsea until his children graduated, he divorced, and moved to Noweta. There, he met and married Carol, who inspired him to create the Bowling Ball Yard.

Chris worked various jobs, always working with his hands on the farm, in the oil field, and as a shipper. After Carol’s death from cancer in 1997, he used the bowling balls she had in her rose garden to start a memorial. The balls spread beyond her garden, becoming a roadside attraction with over 1,500 visitors annually. Visitors from all states, except South Dakota, and 15 countries signed the guest book.

The original 14 bowling balls grew to over 2,800. Local bowling alleys donated cracked and chipped balls, and people gave Chris balls, trophies, and memorabilia. He built a shelter for unused donations and shelving to display special balls. Though too modest to consider himself an artist, he called his yard art a retirement hobby and truly enjoyed meeting visitors.

Chris always had new ideas for the donations. A bowling ball alphabet stretched the property, providing a backdrop for an abacus-like American flag, a working Newton’s cradle, a scaled-up pool table, a peace sign, a cross with Christmas lights, and bowling ball rosary beads, to only name a few of his creations. He said, “If I run out of ideas, I’ll keep making my bowling ball pyramid bigger.”Unfortunately, in September 2019, the Barbee family announced the dismantling of the Bowling Ball Yard because Chris was moving closer to his family.