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- United States Obituary Collection about William E. Balch Jr.
Name of Deceased: William E. Balch Jr.
Age at Death: 72
Death Date: abt 2001
Obituary Date: 15 Mar 2006
Newspaper Title: Crossville Chronicle
Newspaper Location: Crossville, TN, US
Birth Date: 9 Nov 1929
William E Balch, Jr
Birth: Nov. 9, 1929
Death: Jul. 7, 2002
William E. Balch Jr.
Nov. 9, 1929 - July 7, 2002
William E. Balch Jr., 72, of Fairfield Glade, passed away July 7, 2002. Funeral services were held July 11 at Fairfield Glade Community Church, with burial in Green Acres Memory Gardens. The Rev. Dale Marshall and the Rev. Thomas Eckert officiated.
Mr. Balch was born Nov. 9, 1929, in Carter Nine, OK, the son of William and Mary Balch.
At age 9, he moved with his family to Beecher City, IL, where his love of sports developed. Excelling in baseball and basketball, he attended Eastern Illinois University on a baseball scholarship, earning a bachelor's degree in physical education, and first realized that he wanted to be a coach. After graduation he joined the U.S. Navy and served on the Saipan aircraft carrier.
Following his Navy discharge, Mr. Balch played minor league baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers, then earned his master's degree at the University of Illinois. While at U of I, he was assistant coach in both basketball and football, and began his lifelong joy of following Illinois sports teams.
After graduation he became head coach at Bryon High School in Bryon, IL. He joined State Farm Insurance Co. in Effingham, IL, as an agent, then served in Decatur and Bloomington, IL. In Bloomington, he moved to the Agency Training Department, and was one of the six original agency directors. He was fondly nicknamed "The Coach" by many at State Farm and retired after 37 1/2 years of service.
Mr. Balch was an avid golfer and loved all sports. He traveled extensively with his family, and enjoyed antiquing and visiting with family and friends. He was an active member and Sunday school teacher at Fairfield Glade Community Church, and a longtime volunteer for Hospice. He was a 33rd Degree Mason.
Bill was a very loving and loved man and will be greatly missed by his family, extended family, friends and community. We who are left have been truly blessed to have him as our "Coach" during his lifetime.
Survivors include his wife, Noreen Balch; children, Kerry Balch of Richardson, TX, Denice Lamb of Stanardsville, VA, Lynn Stafford of Walker, LA, and Kayla Short of Wapella, IL; stepsons, Tom Barnes of Fontana, WI, Steven Barnes of Rosendale, WI, David Barnes of Chicago, IL, and Jim Barnes of Germantown, WI; 18 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Mary Balch; first wife, Patricia Balch; and sisters, Cleo Kalber and Frances Anderson.
Hood Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
The preceding obituary contains additional information furnished and paid for by the family.
Family links:
Spouse:
Patty Balch (1930 - 1993)
Burial:
Green Acres Memorial Gardens
Crossville
Cumberland County
Tennessee, USA
Created by: Angela
Record added: Apr 15, 2010
Find A Grave Memorial# 51165972
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