Gerald
C. Balish, age 86, passed Feb. 21, 2012, at Euclid Hospital from
complications of COPD.
Gerald was born Oct. 20, 1925, at home in Cleveland to John and Pauline (Kubely)
Balish.
Together with his wife, Cesira, they loved watching Cleveland sports teams
on television. And most recently, spending Thursday and Sunday evenings with
their recently born great-grandchild, Antonio.
Gerald enjoyed working in the yard and vegetable garden. He had one of the
best looking lawns in the neighborhood. His vegetable garden produced
bushels of tomatoes, all grown from seedlings he would start indoors. Gerald
loved to fish and for many years owned fishing boats. He taught his
daughters and son how to fish and spent many Sunday mornings on Lake Erie.
For many years, Gerald was a member of the Eldorado crew out of Grand River
until his health started to fail and he was no longer able to fish.
Gerald loved to cook and one of his favorite joys was making breakfast on
Sunday mornings after church. Gerald attended Collinwood High School in
Cleveland. After finishing school, he joined the Marine Corps and began
active service Dec. 21, 1943. He fought in
World War II, as a rifleman and participated in action at Peleliu, Palau
Is also Okinawa, Ryukyu Is and in the occupation of China. He awarded the
Good Conduct Medal and
Purple Heart. He served until Feb. 16, 1946.
Upon returning home from the war, he met the love of his life Cesira Necci.
They married in 1951, at Holy Rosary Church in Little Italy. They
honeymooned in New Orleans and moved to Euclid to start a family. They have
four children, one son and three daughters.
Gerald got a job working for Osborne at T-35 Asphalt and moved his family to
Mentor, where he lived for the next 48 years. Gerald retired from Osborne in
late 1980s. He was a member of local 18, Operating Engineers for over 55
years. He was a member of American Legion Brakeman-King Post 336 and just
this past October, renewed his wedding vows and celebrated 60 years of
marriage with his beloved wife, Cesira.
Gerald loved his family more than anything in the world and went above and
beyond for his children, even after they had grown and moved away.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Cesira (Necci) Balish; children,
Jeff (Madeline Daugherty) Balish of Mentor, Debbie Anderson of Willoughby,
Paula Balish-Kirkland of Mentor and Cindy (Edward) Johnson of Painesville;
grandchildren, Kristin Balish, Joey and Lindsey Anderson and Scott (Lisa)
Johnson; great-grandson, Antonio; twin-sister, Geraldine Sadar of Euclid;
and brother, John (Mary) Balish of Mentor.
Gerald was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Lauren M. Balish;
grandson, Michael Anderson; and parents, John and Pauline Balish.
Funeral Mass will be 9:30 am Friday, February 24, 2012 at St. John Vianney
Church, 7575 Bellflower Road, Mentor.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Brunner Sanden
Deitrick Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 8466 Mentor Ave., Mentor.
Interment will be in All Souls Cemetery in Chardon Township.
Online obituary at
www.brunners.com.
