Helen Marie "Mickey" Balthasar

Helen Marie "Mickey" Sipperley Balthasar, age 79 of Watkins Glen, NY passed away Sunday June 19th very quickly [after a diagnosis of cancer on June 11th, 2016] at Highland Hospital surrounded by her daughters and grand daughters. Mickey was born in Watkins Glen on July 15th, 1936. She was born to the late Willis and Sophia (Janowski) Green. Mickey is survived by her daughters Julie (Joe) Gibbons and grandchildren Grace and Jed Gibbons of Rochester and Jodi (Karl) Kania and grandchildren Teddy and Safia Kania of Canandaigua, NY. She is also survived by her late husband’s children Robert, Edward, Donald (Kathie), grandsons Brian and Kevin, son James, and granddaughter Jennifer, daughter Virginia (Lee) Gross and granddaughters Kendell and Camryn, and the late John Bathasar {son}. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Edward C. Balthasar in 2013 and her Brother William F. Green in 1988. Mickey graduated from Watkins Glen High School in 1954 and attended Nursing School in Rochester NY before transitioning to work as a dance instructor at Arthur Murray School of Dance. Dancing was a passion she continued to enjoy her entire life and was able to teach those in the community. She took a job as a legal secretary to Vince Tofany in Rochester, NY, and she became a member of the young Republican club in Rochester which is another passion she continued throughout her life. Her service to her political party in Rochester, Nunda and Watkins Glen was admirable as she campaigned for many as well as worked election days as a poll inspector. Mickey then made raising her family and tending the family business her focus. She obtained a job in 1977 as a project secretary at Senior Community Service Employment Program in Mt. Morris, NY. She transferred her job as project secretary with this agency back to her home town of Watkins Glen. She then moved back into the house where she was born in the summer of 1986, bringing her teen age daughters to live with her, her parents and her brother. In 1993 Mickey took a job as an Activities Aid at Seneca View Skilled Nursing Facility in Montour Falls, NY. She continued with this job until her retirement in 2004. Mickey had a full life of serving her community and friends through activities she enjoyed such as being active as a majorette leader, a choreographer for community plays in Nunda, NY, Mt. Morris Bowling Leagues, the Watkins Glen International Race Track, SELGA and the Watkins Glen Golf Course. She was an election Inspector and a Republican Party Poll Watcher, she worked on various political campaigns, St. Mary's Guild, St. Mary's Resurrection Choir and a true passion for her was the Prayer Shawl Ministry at St. Mary's of the Lake. She also enjoyed participating in Moose Club, Elks Club and Mechanics Club activities. Friends and Family may call from 9-11AM on Tuesday June 28th, 2016 at the Link at St. Mary's of the Lake Church, 905 Decatur St., Watkins Glen, NY 14891 where her mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11am in the church. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to St. Mary's of the Lake Church, PO Box 289 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 or to the BPOE, Watkins Glen Lodge 1546, 300 N. Madison Ave., Watkins Glen, NY 14891. Mickey was an inspiration in our community as a positive can-do personality full of energy and light. She will be sorely missed.