Homer Balzraine
Rosewood Heights |
Homer L. Balzraine lost his courageous battle with squamous cell cancer on April 19, 2016. Born in Wilsonville, Illinois in 1927, he was the second son of John Napoleon Balzraine and Jennie (Peradotti) (Balzraine) (Brown) Kochinski. He attended Benld Illinois City Schools graduating on a Friday night, leaving on a troop train the next morning to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago, Illinois to serve in the US Navy during WWII. He was stationed in the South Pacific aboard the USS Puget Sound Naval Aircraft Carrier, which was positioned for the invasion of Japan. He always praised President Truman for saving his life by ending the war with Japan. After the war, he graduated from Rankin Trade School with a Tool and Dye trade and immediately went to work at Owens-Illinois Glass as a mold maker in the neck ring department for 43 years. He was elected and served 8 times as the president of the Flint Glass Workers Union 43. He also served 5 years as the on-loan executive from Owens-Illinois Glass for United Way. Upon retirement, he worked as a ranger at the Woodlands Golf Course and wrote frequent “letters to the editor” to the Telegraph. He loved sports, especially the St. Louis Cardinals, the Chicago Bears, and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini football team. He excelled in football and baseball in high school. He played golf, took his wife dancing at the VFW, enjoyed watching his granddaughter play soccer and watching his grandson play baseball. He is a lifetime member of the VFW Post # 1308 in Alton, Illinois.
He is survived by his wife Carleen (Fiscor) Balzraine of 61 years, a daughter Becky Balzraine of Creve Coeur Missouri, and a son John (Beth) Balzraine of Glencoe Missouri, two grandchildren Elise (Brett) Renfroe of North Carolina and Brett Balzraine. He was preceded in death by his parents along with his brother Arthur Napoleon Balzraine, Edwina (Brown) Kolkovich, and Richard Dale Brown. He was also preceded in death by an adored step-father Ed Brown. He will be deeply missed by all those close to him including his immediate family, sisters-in-law Irmaline Balzraine and Beverly (Fiscor) Buras, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Apr. 21 at Paynic Home for Funerals in Rosewood Heights, where services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Apr. 22, officiated by Pastor Daryl Fansler. Per Homer’s wishes, he will be cremated. In lieu of flowers, please donate to United Way or to Frank Bertetti Benld Public Library, 308 East Central Main, Benld, IL 62009 or to St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Rosewood Heights.
Online guestbook at www.paynicfh.com
Paynic Home for Funerals
