Balik, Wenceslaus Francis "Jim" 1937 - 2018

BALIK, PUFFER, SKRETTA, JASPERS, NASON, RITTER, PITZEN, ODABASIC, GELHAYE, MONJEAU, BURTON, PFLEUGER, PATRICK, BILY, WEIST, PESEK, MOUDRY

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/21/2018 at 15:59:48

Wenceslaus Francis "Jim" Balik, 80, of Waterloo, formerly of Protivin, died at Covenant Medical Center Monday, April 2, 2018, of natural causes. A Memorial is at 11 a.m., Friday, April 6, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Waterloo. Burial will be at a later date in St. Wenceslaus Cemetery, Spillville. Visitation is 4 to 8 p.m., Thursday, April 5, at Locke Funeral Home, Waterloo, with a 7 p.m. vigil service and also for an hour before services at the church Friday. Please dress casually. Memorials to the family. Condolences may be left at LockeFuneralHome.com.

He was born Nov. 19, 1937, in Decorah, son of Louis Sr. and Helen Puffer Balik.
He married Charlene Skretta Nov. 14, 1959; she died Nov. 25, 1972. He married Mary Jaspers Feb. 9, 1974.

Jim attended grade school in Spillville, and high school in Protivin. He farmed, worked for Mason City Tile and 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, was 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 Cardinals’ 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, Fla.; daughter Debra (Wayne Nason) Balik, Palm Springs, Calif.; son Douglas (Grace) Balik, West Seneca, N.Y.; son Darren (Roberta) Balik, Goodyear, Ariz.; 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, Texas; a sister in law Betty Balik, Cresco; a large extended family and also his extended Covenant family.

Jim was 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: Cresco Times April 5, 2018

St. Wenceslaus Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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