Cleo M.(Ellis) Balma

On April 7, 2017, we lost our Mom. Cleo M. (Ellis) Balma was the last of her generation, outliving her husband, John; her sister, Evelyn and all the aunts and uncles on both sides of the family.

She was born September 1, 1921 in Rochester, Minnesota, the daughter of Wayne and Winnie (Munson) Ellis. From one week old she lived in and around the small town of Rippey, IA., where her father was postmaster and later farmed. She was a graduate of Rippey High School and Augustana Hospital Nursing Program in Chicago.
On October 16, 1942, she married John Balma in Chicago, Illinois. Cleo spent the early years of marriage raising her three children in the suburbs of La Grange Park and Des Plaines, IL. When all the children were school age, she accepted a position as a part-time school nurse. She went on to work for the East Maine school district in Illinois and then became school nurse for Maine Township High School North in Illinois. In the 1970's they moved to Schaumburg, IL where John had a auto transmission business. After John's retirement they became seasonal residents of Breckenridge, Colorado until 1996 when they moved to Evergreen, CO.

Diminishing health brought them to Highland Trails in Broomfield in 2011, where John passed away that year. Later Cleo moved to Sunrise Assisted Living in Westminster in 2015.

Cleo was 95 and was clear in her love for Jesus and belief in His promise of eternal life for all who trusted in Him. While dementia slowly robbed her of parts of her life near the end, she always recognized her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids and held to her Christian faith. She always wanted her family to pray with her. She chose to believe in and follow Jesus in her youth and continued strong in that faith all her life. Her nursing training reinforced her care for others. Her hospitality was appreciated by all generations of her family, by neighbors and by friends and fellow church members. Her passing leaves a big hole in the lives of all that knew her and she will be dearly missed. But her trust in Christ's resurrection and thus her confidence in her future new life with Him, gives us hope that all is well with her.

Cleo is survived by her daughter and her husband, Sherrilyn and Dale Anderson of Annecy, France; her son and his wife, Thomas and Nancy Balma of Broomfield; her son and his wife, John M. and Carrie Balma of Breckenridge; 7 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.

Bless you Mom, Bless you. Your work here on Earth is done. Enter into the rest that God has prepared for you. We love you and miss you so much!

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