John Alfred Balmer Sr. had blue eyes like the glaciers of the Swiss
Alps he loved so dearly. He was the kind of man you could trust and
depend on. He was the kind of friend you could laugh with and a man
you could love forever.
He passed away in his home on Oct. 3, 2012. He said often that he was
ready to depart and with heavy hearts his loving family let him go.
John was born March 12, 1922 and grew up with the rich culture of the
local Swiss community.
His father immigrated from Switzerland to Washington in the early
1900s and set up a life in Orting as a dairy farmer. His young wife
joined him there and they raised five children. John was the oldest.
In conversations John reminisced about how during the depression there
was always food on their plates and sandwiches in their lunchbox.
He fondly remembered his father as a hard worker and his mother as a
wonderful, kind woman.
He grew up in Orting and worked on the farm preparing for his own
career. He loved Swiss wrestling and was known by all as a sweet,
handsome young man. One day in 1943, while walking down the street, he
spied a beautiful woman. He said right then and there he had to meet
her. After a few missed connections, they finally met at a dance and
were married a year later. During his last days, he still called her
beautiful. And one morning he woke up and told her, “I dreamt of you
last night. I remembered seeing you the first time.”
Norma and John raised three children. The kids have fond memories of
growing up in the backdrop of Mt. Rainier, eating fresh vegetables and
enjoying a country life.
John worked hard and enjoyed being active. It was clear that he found
great worth in his work as a farmer and in providing for his family.
After he retired, he and Norma traveled to Europe, the Caribbean,
South America and throughout the United States.
He often said how much he loved his family and how he was the luckiest
man alive. He also liked to remember his numerous friends and beloved
dogs he had throughout his life. And as he grew older, he never held
back from giving his love and telling those around him how he felt.
He loved to fish, golf, play cards, garden, watch baseball, pick
mushrooms, especially morels, and he liked to joke around. He had a
great sense of humor and beautiful smile. He was a generous and
welcoming host, always making room at the table for one more.
He could be stubborn and hated losing a game of cards, but more often
then not he would complain straight through a hand and end up winning.
When he played cards, he often had a sparkle in his eyes and a
mischievous grin on his face.
In his final days, John had visions of younger years. He thought of
cows that needed milking, of green pastures and the clean country air.
Many nights he sat in his recliner closing his eyes and listening to
yodeling on an old cassette tape. It was the music of his ancestors
that he loved. And he adored the mountains – how he never wanted to be
out of the shadow of Mt. Rainier.
Although he has left us, we cannot weep for him because he is now
without pain. We can weep for ourselves, we can mourn the passing of
our loved one and how he will never again give us a big kiss, a
disarming embrace or a sweet compliment and we can miss him terribly.
He is survived by his wife Norma of 68 years, his children John
(Vicki), Annette (Walt) and Carla (Bill), and seven grandchildren and
seven great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by his sister Rosmarie (Jack) and brother Otto (Carolyn).
A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. at Powers Funeral Home in
Puyallup, Wash.
A celebration of his life will be held at 4 p.m. at the Swiss
Sportsman Park in Bonney Lake, Wash.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Swiss Kids Kamp,
9205-198th Ave. E., Bonney Lake, WA, 98931.
He loved us with his whole heart and has left us all with a hole in
ours. Ich liebe dich eternal.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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