ERNEST FRANCIS BALCH, age 101, of Dryden Road, Freeville, NY passed away Monday, July 29, 2013 at Mercy health & Rehabilitation Center, Auburn, NY after a brief illness. “Ernie” was born in Chew-Magna, England on August 6th, 1911 and immigrated to the United States in 1913 . A long time resident of Freeville, previously he had lived in Euclid and Weedsport. On Sept. 22, 1934 he was married to Myrtle Yates at the Euclid United Methodist Church. On March 29, 1982 his life was changed by the death of Myrtle who was the mother of his six children.
During their marriage they were foster parents to more than 45 children. Eventually he was married to Marion Curry of Weedsport who passed away 1985 when they were traveling in Michigan. Through his Order of the Eastern Star membership he met Dorothy Hartley Newman. Upon their marriage he relocated to Freeville. Dorothy died in 1999. Ernie was employed for many years in Weedsport by NYSEG and later at their Auburn facility. Previously he was employed at the Clark Farm and then the Hooper Dairy Farm. He was a member of Weedsport Lodge #385 and was affiliated to Dryden Lodge #472 F.&A.M. where he had been the musician for many years. He also was a member of Hudson-Fulton-Dryden Chapter #250 Order of the Eastern Star. Ernie was known for his musical ability and often played the piano at Masonic and Eastern Star meetings and events. Forever an industrious sort of man, Ernie constructed many woodworking projects and distributed them across a wide area to family and friends. He constructed his own home and garage, a wind mill, a working water wheel and bricks to decorate his home in Freeville as well as building a saw mill from scratch, just to name a few. He was member of the First Presbyterian Church of Dryden. His family and many friends surely will miss Ernie.
Survivors include his children, Kenneth (Joyce) Balch of Weedsport, Joyce Shurtleff of Pompey, James (Dianne) Balch of North Rose, Betsy (David Sargent) Waterman of Sandy Creek, Mary Hopson of Anchorage, AK, Donald (Lynne) Balch of Stafford, VA; brothers, Roland (Catherine) Balch of Mechanicville and Kenneth (Jacqueline) Balch of Liverpool, NY; 22 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren,9 great great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his siblings, Dorothy and Carl.
Funeral service will be held at 10 AM, Friday, Aug. 2, 2013 in The First Presbyterian Church of Dryden with Rev. David C. Robinson officiating. Burial will follow in Pine Plains Cemetery, Clay, NY. Friends are invited to call Thursday from 4 to 7 PM, at the Perkins Funeral Home, 55 West Main Street, Dryden. Members of the Masonic community will conduct a Masonic Service at 6:45 PM at the funeral home. Those wishing to remember Ernie are asked to consider a memorial to The First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 42, Dryden, NY 13053-0042. www.perkinsfuneralhome.com
ERNEST FRANCIS BALCH, age 101, of Dryden Road, Freeville, NY passed away Monday, July 29, 2013 at Mercy health & Rehabilitation Center, Auburn, NY after a brief illness. “Ernie” was born in Chew-Magna, England on August 6th, 1911 and immigrated to the United States in 1913 . A long time resident of Freeville, previously he had lived in Euclid and Weedsport. On Sept. 22, 1934 he was married to Myrtle Yates at the Euclid United Methodist Church. On March 29, 1982 his life was changed by the death of Myrtle who was the mother of his six children.
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