William Balzer

Chief Master Sergeant William (Mike) Balzer (retired), 73, of Marshalltown, died at Mary Greeley Medical Center on Thursday, May 20, 2010. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 25, 2010, at Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Monday evening at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the family. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Mitchell Family Funeral Home has been caring for Mike and his family. Phone 641-844-1234. Mike was born on May 15, 1937, in Bettendorf. He was the son of Leonard and May (ONeil) Balzer. He graduated from Bettendorf High School in 1955. To the surprise of many who thought Mike would go into the Catholic priesthood, Mike instead enlisted in the United States Air Force 5 days after graduation and served for 31 years. His career took him stateside to California, Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Wyoming, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Massachusetts. He served overseas in Newfoundland, Labrador, Greenland, Iceland, England, Germany, Italy, Libya, Spain, Portugal, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, Australia, Panama, Japan, Thailand (3 tours), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam (2 tours). His last duty was at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska, in the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. He performed as the Superintendent of the jet engine business, managing 160 personnel and $28,000,000 worth of jet engines and associated equipment for 8 years. His last 2 years he served as Superintendent Maintenance Quality Assurance and Training Division, overseeing 38 trainers/ evaluators-men and women responsible for the quality of aircraft maintenance performed by 1500+ technicians. At his retirement ceremony on June 30, 1986, the Commander of the Strategic Air Command stated that Chief Balzers distinctive accomplishments in improving gas turbine jet engine repair an dependability will be realized for many years into the future, not only by the US Air Force, but also by the Navy, Marines, and the Army as well as saving taxpayers millions upon millions of dollars and quite possibly would save loss of aircraft and air crews. He is survived by his wife Deloris, daughters Roxanne Lyn Freyer and Michelle Lee Tashiro, son Steven Balzer, stepdaughters Bonnie (Dana) Bilyeu, Gloria (Joe) Miller, Jamie Bland (Jay Hansen), Sheri (Jim) Woodbury, and Amie (Shannon) Gard. He is also survived by his sisters Mary Ann Parker, Barbara Moday, and Joanne Mizlo, and his feathered friend, a green Quaker parrot. In death, Mike rejoins his father Leonard, mother May, brothers Leo, Gerald, and Edward, and his daughter Suzanne Balzer.