MENTONE – William E. Balmer, 85, Rochester, and formerly of the Akron and Mentone areas, died at 8 p.m. Nov. 10, 2014, at Hickory Creek of Rochester. He was born March 27, 1929, in St. Joseph County, to Albert and Elsie Perry Balmer. On May 19, 1951, in Fort Rucker, Ala., to Alice V. Perry, who survives. He worked from 1953 to 1958 as a milk hauler for Eldon Germann, then for the Burket Elevator from 1965 to 1972. He served on the Kosciusko County Franklin Township Advisory Board for 18 years. He retired from farming in 1992 and began working for Scott's Food Store in Rochester from 1994 to 2002. He was a member of the Beaver Dam United Methodist Church. He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Also surviving are two daughters, Jeannie A. (and spouse Jim) Smith, Rochester, and Janet L. (and spouse John) Lipps, London, Ky.; a son, Wayne E. (and spouse Merlinda) Balmer, Roann; eight grandchildren: David, Debra, Shaun, Brian, Jeremy, Jason, Michael and Joshua; nine great-grandchildren; a sister, Shirley Lakins, Bremen; a brother, Eldon (and spouse Florence) Balmer, Castorville, Texas; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son and daughter-in-law, Stanley R. (and spouse Jean) Balmer; two sisters, Leona Nickerson and Esther Young; and four brothers: Harold, Perry, Delbert and Roger Balmer. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at King Memorial Home, 101 N. Tucker St., Mentone, with Pastor Butch Troke officiating. Burial is in Mentone Cemetery, with military rites by the American Legion and the VFW, both of Warsaw. Calling is from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. ***** Memorials to Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church Building Fund or the Fulton County Transpo. Condolences via www.hartzlerfuneralservices.com
