Obituary for Peter Balbo
Peter Anthony Balbo, age 95, passed away May 3, 2021 in Commerce Township, MI. Peter was born October 16, 1925 and raised in Leechburg, PA. He was preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth (formerly Baker) Balbo, his stepdaughter Suzan (Baker) Morrison, his grandson Aaron Prillwitz, brothers Ronald Balbo and Raymond Balbo, parents Valentino Balbo and Desalina (Odesso) Balbo, and stepmother Santino Balbo.
He is survived by four stepchildren, Carol (Bruce) Prillwitz of Rochester, MI, Frank (Gigi) Baker of Port St. Lucie, FL, Lois (George) Baker Czirr of Kalamazoo, MI and Martha (Robert) Binell of Commerce Township, MI, along with eight grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, his sister Anna (Balbo) Hadel of Leechburg, PA, his niece Gina Balbo of St. Joseph, MI and his nephew Anthony Balbo of Benton Harbor, MI.
Upon graduating from high school, Peter enlisted in the U.S. Navy immediately after he turned age 18. He served his country honorably as an electrician’s mate, third class, in the Pacific during WWII. His ship, the U.S.S. LST-725 (Landing Ship Tank), was the Flagship for all of the LSTs in the Navy’s Battle Group. As such, he was on the first ship to hit the beach in the battles for both Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Peter’s battle station was to watch for attacking Kamikaze’s and then instruct the gunner on the direction and range for aiming and firing a 20mm canon. For his service, he was awarded the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Combat Action Ribbon with two Gold Stars for the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, American Theater Campaign Ribbon, Asiatic – Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon, again with two Gold Stars, World War II Victory Ribbon, and the Navy Occupation Ribbon (Japan).
After the War, Peter moved to South Bend, IN where he worked for Studebaker and learned the upholstery business. He then went on to learn the beauty business as a hairstylist. He owned and operated both a beauty salon, “Perri’s Hair Fashions”, in St. Joseph, MI, and later an upholstery business in Berrien Springs, MI. He married Elizabeth (formerly Baker) Balbo in 1969 and they resided in Berrien Springs, MI until their move to Allen Park, MI in 1985. He dutifully cared for his wife “Betty” as she declined in health from dementia. His love and devotion to his wife was truly inspiring.
A funeral mass will be held at St. Gabriel Church, 429 Rosehill Road, Berrien Springs, MI on Saturday, May 22 at 11:00 a.m. Saturday,, September 10, 2022 He will be interred at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska where he will be laid to rest beside his beloved wife, Betty.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Moser Memorial Chapel, 200 West Main Street, Cedar Bluffs, NE 68015 402-628-3445.
He is survived by four stepchildren, Carol (Bruce) Prillwitz of Rochester, MI, Frank (Gigi) Baker of Port St. Lucie, FL, Lois (George) Baker Czirr of Kalamazoo, MI and Martha (Robert) Binell of Commerce Township, MI, along with eight grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, his sister Anna (Balbo) Hadel of Leechburg, PA, his niece Gina Balbo of St. Joseph, MI and his nephew Anthony Balbo of Benton Harbor, MI.
Upon graduating from high school, Peter enlisted in the U.S. Navy immediately after he turned age 18. He served his country honorably as an electrician’s mate, third class, in the Pacific during WWII. His ship, the U.S.S. LST-725 (Landing Ship Tank), was the Flagship for all of the LSTs in the Navy’s Battle Group. As such, he was on the first ship to hit the beach in the battles for both Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Peter’s battle station was to watch for attacking Kamikaze’s and then instruct the gunner on the direction and range for aiming and firing a 20mm canon. For his service, he was awarded the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Combat Action Ribbon with two Gold Stars for the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, American Theater Campaign Ribbon, Asiatic – Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon, again with two Gold Stars, World War II Victory Ribbon, and the Navy Occupation Ribbon (Japan).
After the War, Peter moved to South Bend, IN where he worked for Studebaker and learned the upholstery business. He then went on to learn the beauty business as a hairstylist. He owned and operated both a beauty salon, “Perri’s Hair Fashions”, in St. Joseph, MI, and later an upholstery business in Berrien Springs, MI. He married Elizabeth (formerly Baker) Balbo in 1969 and they resided in Berrien Springs, MI until their move to Allen Park, MI in 1985. He dutifully cared for his wife “Betty” as she declined in health from dementia. His love and devotion to his wife was truly inspiring.
A funeral mass will be held at St. Gabriel Church, 429 Rosehill Road, Berrien Springs, MI on Saturday, May 22 at 11:00 a.m. Saturday,, September 10, 2022 He will be interred at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska where he will be laid to rest beside his beloved wife, Betty.
Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com.
Moser Memorial Chapel, 200 West Main Street, Cedar Bluffs, NE 68015 402-628-3445.