Leona A Balch

Leona Balch was born on January 11, 1931, in Atkinson, Nebraska to Joseph Winkler and Theresa Kercher. Her family then moved to Troutdale, Oregon where she grew up and graduated from Gresham High School in 1949.

On August 30, 1952, she married Robert Balch Sr. in Portland, Oregon. Before her marriage, she worked at the lunch counter for Meier & Frank. After getting married, she was a homemaker and mother to her 5 children. She encouraged her children to explore activities to find what they loved, from piano lessons to sports or extracurricular activities. She would volunteer at the Meadowland Little League fields and at St. Henry’s Catholic School in support of her family.

Leona was a Master Bridge player and was a member of several clubs. She loved playing Bridge with her friends and family and continued playing until the age of 91. She also loved reading, crossword puzzles, slot games, and decorating for the holidays. She won several awards decorating her door at her apartment complex.

She truly loved her family and friends, including her numerous nieces and nephews. She wasn’t always the first to say she loved you, but she said it loud and best in many ways, whether it was making your favorite meal, attending important events, or just offering a friendly ear and honest advice. Leona showed every person how important they were to her.

Leona is preceded in death by her husband, Robert; father, Joseph Winkler; mother & stepfather, Theresa and Herman Kercher; father & mother-in-law, AG and Edna Balch; brothers, Bernard, William, Robert, and Henry; brother-in-law, William Deeks; sister-in-law, Carol Winkler; daughter, Penny Balch; daughter-in law, Pat Balch; and grandson, David Craft.

She is survived by her sisters, Maryanne (Dean) Ickes and Patricia (Ernie) Bilesimo; sisters-in-law, Linda Kercher and Helen Deeks; children, Robert Balch Jr., Mark (Julie) Balch, Elizabeth (Gregory) Wood, and William (Trisha) Balch; grandchildren Kristine (Brian) Johnson, Audrey (Jim) Farmer, Brittany Balch, Andrea Balch, Leeann Balch, Robert Balch III, and Katie Balch; and great-grandson, Damien Craft.

A visitation for Leona will be held Tuesday, October 1, 2024 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home, 520 W Powell Blvd, Gresham, Oregon 97030. A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 1:00 PM at the Troutdale Historical Society Barn, 732 E Historic Columbia River Hwy, Troutdale, Oregon 97060.