Virginia Ann Balko Eggers

Morganton, NC

Virginia Ann Balko Eggers, of Morganton, NC, celebrated her 89th birthday in heaven on March 28, 2017, as she passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, at Grace Ridge Retirement Center.

Mrs. Eggers was born on March 28, 1928, in Cook Co., Illinois, to the late John Balko and Martha Pokraka Balko.

She was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Morganton and worked in customer service at Sears before she retired. Mrs. Eggers raised three beautiful children and loved being a homemaker. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother. She enjoyed playing bridge, shopping, and watching TV game shows, with “The Price Is Right” being her favorite.

Mrs. Eggers pioneered an outreach program for hospitalized children called “Toymakers at Grace Ridge Retirement Center”. She also won the North Carolina State championship for lawn bowling and most notably, she was a pen pal and personal friend of former President Ronald Reagan and was invited and attended his inaugural ball.

In addition to her parents, she is also preceded in death by her husband, Gene Ross Eggers; her son, Rob Eggers; and two brothers, Joe and John Balko.

Surviving Mrs. Eggers are her son Marc (Mimi) Eggers, of Gainesville, Ga., a daughter, Claudia (Leonard) Kruse, of Elgin, Illinois; a daughter-in-law, Loreta Eggers of Charlotte, NC; two nieces, Bonnie Balko and Jayne Artwick, both of Illinois; two nephews, David Balko of Florida and Jim Balko of Arizona; twelve grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Mrs. Eggers life will be held on Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 2:00 PM, at Grace Ridge Retirement Center, in the Community Room, with Dr. Pat Looper officiating.

Kirksey Funeral Home has the honor of assisting the Eggers family with arrangements.