Margaret Ann Balesky

Margaret Ann Balesky peacefully went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for eternity on April 25, 2026 in East Lansing, Michigan at the age of 93. In the two weeks leading up to her passing, Margaret was able to spend precious time with family and friends and see all five of her grandchildren and great grandchild.

Margaret was born March 24, 1933 in Vassar, Michigan, the daughter of Richard J.C. Hecht and Alice Margaret Shroader. She grew up in Vassar and graduated as Class Valedictorian of Vassar High School in 1951.

On December 22, 1951, she married Fredric John (Jack) Balesky. A few days after being married they moved to Atlanta, Georgia where Jack reported for duty in the U.S. Army at Fort McPherson and Margaret went to work in the credit department for a large department store.

After moving back to Michigan, Margaret worked for Sorenson & Gross Construction Company in Flint from 1954 to 1966. Fittingly, she was responsible for determining the amount of cement that went into an addition to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing where each of her five grandchildren would be born decades later.

Raising their two children in Mt. Morris, Michigan, Margaret and Jack started J B Supply Company in 1966, a residential building materials and supplies company. From humble and uncertain beginnings, J B Supply Company grew to be one of the larger roofing, siding and gutter installation and supply companies in the Flint area.

Margaret and Jack sold J B Supply Company in 1981 and moved to Higgins Lake, Michigan. The lake has always been a special place for Margaret and Jack who began going there in the late 1940s. They loved to water ski and snowmobile. Over the years the family became active in the Higgins Lake Boat Club where their kids learned to sail.

In 1997, Margaret and Jack became snowbirds spending winters in Sebring, Florida where they enjoyed growing grapefruit and oranges in their grove which consisted of two trees. They loved when the grandkids would come to visit and ride around in the golf cart to look for alligators.

Five years after the passing of Jack, her husband of 56 years, Margaret found love again with a Canadian gentleman named Vern Larson, who wintered in the same community. He called her his “Michigan Honey” and they kept each other young, happy, and full of fun for 10 years until Vern passed in 2022.

Margaret enjoyed playing games of cards, lots of cards! Gin Rummy and Euchre were her favorites and she was always up for a game. She and Vern enjoyed many cruises to the Caribbean over their 10 years. She recently went on a two-week cruise where she enjoyed the casino just two months before she passed. Margaret had a big smile and generous heart, always looking to help those less fortunate.

Margaret is survived by her daughter, Laurie (Stephen) Taylor; son, Fredric John (Bridget) Balesky II; grandchildren, Hilary (Stephen) Erdodi, Forrest Taylor, Reed (Stefania) Taylor, Nicholas Balesky, Thomas Balesky; and great granddaughter, Marcella Margaret Taylor. She is also survived by her brother, William Hall; sister, Lynn Schmitzer; and extended family and friends.

She was predeceased by her husband, Jack Balesky; sister, Deana Hall; and boyfriend, Vern Larson; as well as many good friends.

The family would like to thank the staff at CorsoCare Hospice and StoryPoint at Abbot Park in East Lansing for their care and compassion for Margaret during her final days.

A memorial service to celebrate the life of Margaret will be held on Saturday, June 6th with a 10:00 a.m. visitation and 10:45 a.m. service at the MSU Kellogg Center, East Lansing, Michigan.