When my father passed away, I had the honor of composing his obituary. It is similar to a biographical note section of a finding aid.

John Walter Balcer was born in Detroit, MI, on February 25, 1947 to Walter Balcer and Jean Krol.

 

John graduated from South Lake High School in St. Clair Shores, MI in 1965, and went on to graduate from Central Michigan University with a BS in Business Administration and a minor in Economics in 1972. He was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity.

 

John was in “the service,” as he called it. He served in the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division and received specialized training as an air traffic controller.

 

While at CMU, John met his future wife, Mary Jo Donahue. They were married in 1972 and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in August 2022. He was a proud of his children, Kathryn and Matthew, son-in-law Michael Weaver, daughter-in-law Mary Byrnes, and cherished his time with them and with his granddaughter, Tabitha Weaver.

 

John was employed for decades in the material handling industry, working as a salesman for companies including Yates Industries, Towlift of Michigan, Volvo Automated Systems, Fraza Forklifts, and Bell Fork Lift.

 

Along with Mary Jo, John was a member of the St. Hugo of the Hills parish community. He played in their bell choir and volunteered his time serving as host of funeral luncheons in the parish hall.

 

John also volunteered weekly at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, serving as a liaison between hospital staff and family members awaiting news during surgical procedures.

 

John was an avid boater and he captained several powerboats that he owned throughout his lifetime. He spent many hours out on local and regional lakes including Pine Lake in West Bloomfield, MI, where he lived for most of his life, Lake St. Clair, Lake Chemung, Torch Lake, Opal Lake, and Lake Muskoka near Patterson-Kaye Lodge in Bracebridge, Ontario, where he enjoyed vacationing with his family. He also wholly appreciated the sleek lines of classic wooden powerboats.

 

John was a member of the Pine Lake Manor Civic Association and its Boat Club, serving on boards of both groups over the course of 46 years.

 

John’s other hobbies included golfing, brewing his own beer, grilling, cooking, and taking good care of his cars and boats.

 

John passed away on June 28, 2023. He lived a life filled with love, family, and service.