Joseph Balzer, 86, went home to be with the Lord after a long illness on February 2, 2015. He was born July 4, 1928 to Florence (Balzer) Raffath. His father Joseph William Balzer, was killed in an accident on the railroad before he was born.
He was born in Massillon, Ohio and raised in the Catholic faith. He attended Saint Barbara’s Church where he was an alter server. In his early teens, he was a caddy and introduced to horses, taking care of them and riding them.
At age 22, following in his late father’s footsteps, he joined the Pennsylvania Railroad and had a great 40 year career. In 1955, he met Martha Radick, his true love of 60 years. They dated five years and married on October 31, 1960. He was a loving father to two children, a son Eric in 1961 and a daughter Nancy in 1964.
He was a hard working man and an excellent provider. Early in life he taught his children the importance of honesty and integrity that they carry with them to this day. He was a pillar of honesty and integrity.
After retirement, he joined Park Avenue Baptist Church and was saved and baptized. He wanted to stay busy so he volunteered for Children Services Bridge the Gap program for ten years, driving the van. In his spare time, he enjoyed feeding and watching the birds and he was very fond of Jenny Wrens, which came to the back yard to a house he had for them for many years. He had great joy watching the babies take their first flight out of the house once, and it seemed something he would never forget.
He loved to tinker in the garage, the barn, and with his beloved gasoline hit and miss engines. He went to shows crisscrossing the state, to Michigan and Indiana showing them. He had a 1974 Chevrolet Cheyenne truck which was his pride and joy, and he was forever babying her one way or another. He had the mind of an engineer and was very clever and creative when it came to fixing things or custom making things to his specifications. He never failed to amaze people with his creative thinking.
His daughter had a dog named Pooh who he always called “Big Dog” and they were good pals. He would sit in the back yard with her, take her for short rides in the car or truck with him, or sit on the porch and let her play with his feet, something she loved to do.
More recently, he became a fan of the Oregon Ducks college football team and enjoyed following them.
Besides his family, he is survived by a half-sister, Carol Brown, and her children of Massillon, and a very close family friend who he called his brother, Reid Hanson of Grand Rapids, MI.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Florence; his brother, Leroy; and his “granddaughter”, Pooh.
Per his request, there will be no calling hours or services. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to Diamond Hills Baptist Church, 647 S. Diamond Street, Mansfield, OH 44907. The Diamond Street Home of Wappner Funeral Directors is privileged to serve the family of Joseph Balzer.
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