BALIK, Wenceslaus Francis "Jim" 1937-2018

BALIK, SKRATTA, JASPERS, PUFFER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 4/3/2018 at 17:44:34

Wenceslaus F. "Jim" Balik

Services:
A Memorial Mass will be held Friday, April 6, 2018 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 650 Stephen, Waterloo. Please dress casual and be comfortable.

Visitation:
Thursday, April 5, 2018 at Locke Funeral Home, 1615 West 4th St., Waterloo.

Cemetery:
Burial will take place at a later date in St. Wenceslaus Cemetery, Spillville, Iowa

Biography--

Wenceslaus Francis "Jim" Balik, 80, of Waterloo, Iowa, and formerly of Protivin, Iowa, died at Covenant Medical Center, in Waterloo, on Monday, April 2, 2018, of natural causes.

He was born November 19, 1937, in Decorah, Iowa, son of Louis Sr. and Helen Puffer Balik.

He married Charlene Skretta on November 14, 1959; she died November 25, 1972. He married Mary Jaspers on February 9, 1974.

Jim attended grade school in Spillville, Iowa, and high school in Protivin. He farmed, worked for Mason City Tile & Marble, Calmar Cheese Factory and Schley Cheese Factory, was the custodian at Holy Trinity Parish in Protivin for 16 years, drove a school bus for Turkey Valley Community School District, a custodian for Eastern Star Home in Decorah and later managed apartments in Waterloo.

He was a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Protivin, St. Wenceslaus Church in Spillville, and in 2001 they moved to Waterloo and became members of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.

Jim could fix just about anything; he loved to putter and plan different projects. He was always on the look-out for a license plate to add to his collection. He also enjoyed fishing and watching his team the St. Louis Cardinals play. He had been a Cardinal’s fan since he was a boy listening to the games on the car radio with his Dad.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; son Dennis Balik, Bonita Springs, FL; daughter Debra (Wayne Nason) Balik, Palm Springs, CA; son Douglas (Grace) Balik, West Seneca, NY; son Darren (Roberta) Balik, Goodyear, AZ; daughter Darci (Chuck Pitzen) Ritter, Waterloo; adopted children, Muhamed and Sonada Odabasic, Waterloo; 14 grandchildren: Sharlene (Julian) Gelhaye, Samantha (Mike Monjeau) Balik, Jonathan Nason, Tina (Jim Pfleuger) Burton, Jeffrey Burton, Krissy Burton, Steven Patrick Wenceslaus Balik, Nicole Balik, Katherine Balik, Keaton Ritter, Michael Ritter, Collin Ritter, and Imrah and Imran Odabasic; great grandchildren, Ben Pfleuger and another one on the way; two sisters, Lorraine Bily, Omaha and Anna Mae Weist, Richardson, TX; a sister in law Betty Balik, Cresco, IA; a large extended family and also his extended Covenant family.

Jim is preceded in death by a granddaughter, Tami Nason; three brothers: George (Lorraine), Edward (Helen), and Louis Jr. Balik; three sisters: Genny (Robert) Pesek, Emily (Irvin) Moudry, and his twin Betty in infancy; and two brothers-in-law, Fritz Bily and Linus Weist.

SOURCE: Locke Funeral Home website