Michael B. Balog, 90, of Renfrew, passed away following a lingering illness on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, with his loving family by his side.
Born May 2, 1934, in Butler, he was the son of the late Michael A. and Rose S. Dernoski Balog.
Mike grew up in West Butler; attended Lyndora Elementary School; and graduated from Butler High School in 1953. While in high school, he played baseball for Highfield.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
He attended Penn State University and received an associate degree in mechanical engineering in 1959.
Mike’s first job as an engineer was with Johnson Bronze in New Castle while attending night classes at Youngstown University. He eventually went to work at Oberg Manufacturing Company in Freeport, and rose to the position of Chief Engineer. Mike also had several papers published in The American Society of Mechanical Engineers magazine. He retired from Oberg in 1996 with more than 33 years’ service.
Mike was a member of All Saints Parish, St. Paul Roman Catholic Church. He was a former Eucharistic Minister, and he served on the church’s Greeter Ministry and on the Docent Committee.
He also volunteered at Butler Memorial Hospital.
He and his beloved wife, Margie, loved to travel. They visited many U.S. states, as well as countries throughout the world.
A sports fan, Mike was a member of the Retirees Golf League at Stoughton Acres Golf Course and the Magnetics Bowling League at Family Lanes.
In addition to golf and bowling, he enjoyed playing bridge, beach vacations, visiting family and friends, and watching his grandchildren grow and mature.
Above all, Mike was a loving, kind and gentle man who always smiled. He demonstrated courage and strength of character, and, most importantly, he was the rock of his family.
The Balog family extends special thanks to the staff of Addison of Lowrie Place for providing exceptional care and support and for treating our family like one of their own.
Mike is survived by his wife, Marjorie “Margie” J. Ansman Balog, whom he married June 18, 1960; three children, Douglas (Sue) Balog, of Chapel Hill, N.C., Rebecca (Matthew) Puz, of Darien, Ill., and Stephen (Susan) Balog, of Cranberry Township; seven grandchildren, Michael Balog, Jeffrey (Paige Plaskonos) Balog, Christopher (Brynna Gyuricsko) Balog, Joshua (Samantha) Balog, Sarah Puz, Aimee Puz, and Sydney Puz; one brother-in-law, Donald (Roberta) Ansman, of Butler; two sisters-in-law, Lorraine (Dale) Linaberger, of Butler, and Carole (Geof) Gaddis, of Hartford, Conn.; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents and grandparents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Janet Shedio; one grandson, Zachary Balog; one sister-in-law, Nancy Rapp; and two brothers-in-law, Michael Shedio and Robert Shoemaker.
Friends will be received in the Martin Funeral Home, 429 Center Ave., Butler, on Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 10 a.m. at All Saints Parish, St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St., Butler, with Rev. Kevin C. Fazio officiating.
Burial will take place in Calvary Cemetery.
Military Honors will be accorded at the cemetery by VFW Post 249, American Legion Post 778, and VFW Post 499.
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