Individual Details
George Heinrich Balster
(5 Mar 1912 - 3 Apr 2003)
Events
| Birth | 5 Mar 1912 | Castle Grove Township, Jones, Iowa, United States |  | ||
| Baptism | 3 Apr 1912 | SS Peter & Paul Lutheran Church, Castle Grove Township, Jones, Iowa, United States | | ||
| Census | Apr 1940 | Castle Grove Township, Jones, Iowa, United States |  | ||
| Marriage | 12 Jan 1944 | Center Junction, Jones, Iowa, United States - Mary M. Peterson | | ||
| Death | 3 Apr 2003 | Good Neighbor Home, Manchester, Delaware, Iowa, United States | | |
Families
| Spouse | Mary M. Peterson (1916 - 1974) |
| Father | Lorenz Friedrich Balster (1882 - 1949) |
| Mother | Anna Catharina Heiken (1884 - 1928) |
| Sibling | Margaretta Eloise Balster (1910 - ) |
| Sibling | Marion Heiken Balster (1913 - 1993) |
| Sibling | Frieda Ruth Balster (1915 - 1993) |
| Sibling | Hilda Caroline Balster (1920 - 2016) |
| Sibling | Irma Arline Balster (1923 - 1986) |
| Sibling | Irma Pauline Balster (1923 - 1924) |
Notes
Census
SD 2, ED 53-2, sheet, 1Avisit 4, rent farm, $15/mo,
Balster, George H. Head, MW, 28, single, no, HS-4, IA, 72 hrs/wk, Farmer, farm, OA, 52 wks, 0, yes
Balster, Marion H, Brother, MW, 26, single, no, HS-4, IA, 72 hrs/wk, Farmer, farm, IA, 52 wks, 0, yes
Balster, Margaret, Sister, FW, 30, single, no, C-1, IA. 48 hrs/wk, Rural teacher, Public School, PW, 36 wks, $680, yes
Death
George H. BalsterMarch 5, 1912-April 3, 2003
COGOON, Iowa - George H. Balster, 91, of Coggon, died Thursday, April 3, 2003, at the Good Neighbor Home in Manchester, after a short illness. Ser vices were held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, April 7, 2003, at Peace Lutheran Church in Ryan by the Rev. Roger McKinstry and Vicar Steve Andersen. Burial was held in Oakwood Cemetery, Monticello. Visitation was held Sunday, April 6, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Central City.
Survivors include two sons, Dr. George L. Balster of Creston, Ill, and Richard Balster and wife Wanda of Coggon; a daughter, Ruth Ann Christensen of Denver, Colo.; two sisters, Margaret Sattler of Bellflower, Calif., and Hilda Grings and husband Bill of Los Angeles, Calif.
Also surviving are five grandchildren: Steve Balster, Jennifer Franzene, Sheri Miller, Beth Kamin and Sandra Shover; and eight great-grandchildren. George was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, a brother, Marion, and three sisters, Frieda, Arlene and an infant sister.
George was born March 5, 1912, near Monticello to Lorenz F. and Anna Heiken Balster. He attended rural Castle Grove No. 4 and graduated from Monticello High School in 1929. On January 12, 1944, he was united in marriage to Mary M. Peterson at Center Junction. She died March 3,1974. He farmed in the Castle Grove Township. In 1952, the couple moved to the Coggon area, where he farmed and was employed at Collins Radio for 20 years, retiring in 1974. He retired from farming in 1975.
George Balster was a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Ryan, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; township clerk for Castle Grove Township; Agriculture Stabilization Committee and treasurer of SS. Peter and Paul Church in Castle Grove Township, Monticello.
He enjoyed watching high school sports, fishing and going to dances.
Endnotes
1. SS Peter & Paul Lutheran Church Centennial Book. 100th Anniversary 1879-1979. (Monticello, Iowa: Church Committee. 1979.), p. 35.
2. SS Peter & Paul Lutheran Church Centennial Book. 100th Anniversary 1879-1979. (Monticello, Iowa: Church Committee. 1979.), p. 35.
3. "George H. Balster," obituary, Monticello (Iowa) Express, 9 April 2003; Ross & Elizabeth Baty Public Library (http://batypl.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 26 April 2011), Newspaper Digital Archives.
4. "George H. Balster," obituary, Monticello (Iowa) Express, 9 April 2003; Ross & Elizabeth Baty Public Library (http://batypl.newspaperarchive.com : accessed 26 April 2011), Newspaper Digital Archives.