Obituary of CHRISTINE BALON

CHRISTINE BALON

Christine peacefully passed away on Thursday, October 5, 2017.

Christine (nee Otto) was born in 1931 in Warsaw, Poland and immigrated to Canada from Germany in 1954. Shortly after, she married Joseph Balon, in Winnipeg in 1955. They originally settled on Morley Street in Fort Rouge where their three children were born. ln 1972 they moved to Transcona where she had lived since.

Christine was predeceased by Joe in 2013 and her daughter-in-law Linda (Ed) in 2009.

She is survived by her three children, Barbara (Mark) Torchia, Ed (Lucy De Sousa) Balon and Rick (Sylvia Siemens) Balon, and her two dear grandchildren, Muriel Torchia-Shyjak (Caleb) and Erik Torchia (Sarah). She is also survived by her siblings Mira Pryzbyl, Richard (lngrid) Otto both of Winnipeg, as well Bodek (Kathi) Otto and Maria (Dieter) Witula in Germany, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Christine was a very kind and giving person. She was an avid reader and kept up with current affairs, enjoyed history, and learning about the wonders of nature. Christine also loved to sing songs from her youth and kept her mind sharp and her languages intact by writing out all of the lyrics into a song book. Most of all, she loved to spend time chatting with her children and grandchildren whether in person or by telephone. She was incredibly proud of all of their accomplishments. No one ever left her house without having been fed a considerable meal; then at the door when leaving, everyone received many hugs, and a box of chocolates or some other treat.

We will all miss her dearly, but are comforted knowing that she passed away as she wished – in peace and in her own home.

Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Andrew Bobola Church, 541 Marion Street, on Tuesday, October 10 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at the Transcona Cemetery (5014 Dugald Road). A light lunch will then take place at the East End Community Centre, 517 Pandora Avenue East.