Virginia E. Balaka (Kot) passed peacefully on May 3  ^rd  , 2021 in Dearborn, Michigan after a relatively short battle with late onset Alzheimer's at the age of 96.  Although she displayed subtle signs of this awful disease several years ago, she was able to live on her own in her Dearborn home until the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown in March of 2020.  She was affectionately known as "Mrs. B." or "Grandma B." to hundreds, including friends of her four granddaughters, four sons, and a slew of international friends/surrogate grandkids.  The international connection came about after her son Robert returned from a Ford Foreign Service assignment in England and the Balaka family started entertaining and befriending the local Dearborn contingent of Ford Foreign Service families from countries such as England, Australia, Germany, France, Mexico, and Brazil.  Someone once joked when the current Ford of (name the country) Liaison Engineer was replaced, the standard operating procedure was "Here are the keys to the office, the keys to the car, and here are the Balakas to show you around".

Virginia was born in Detroit on August 23  ^rd  , 1924 to parents Frank and Katherine Kot.  She had one older sister, Helen Asher (Kot) who proceeded her in death in 1968.  The family moved into their newly built home at Reuter and Warren in Dearborn nine months after Virginia was born.   She has been a staunch Dearborn supporter ever since.  Virginia attended Lowrey Elementary/Middle School and graduated from Fordson High School in 1942.  She was the editor of the Fordson High School Tower Tribune where future Michigan United States Senator Robert Griffin was her sports editor.   It was at Fordson High School where she also met her future husband, Jerry Balaka.

Virginia's last "paid" job was as a switchboard operator for the Cadillac Clark Street Assembly plant in Detroit in 1950.  She gladly gave that job up for her new (lifelong) job as mother/homemaker when newly-weds Jerry and Virginia moved into their home on Silvery Lane in Dearborn.   Shortly after, first son Douglas (Doug) was born.  Three more sons followed – Alan (Al), Robert (Bob), and Gerald (Jerry).  Virginia and her husband Jerry lived on Silvery Lane together until Jerry's death in 1998.  Virginia continued to live in that house for a total of 70 years.

In typical fashion, Virginia became involved in her son's lives at each step along the way.  Homeroom mother, field trip mom, Haigh Elementary School PTA President for 2 years, Bryant Junior High PTA, and Dearborn High School. When two of her sons (Bob and Jerry) were divers on the Dearborn High School Swim Team, Jerry and Virginia along with former Dearborn City Council President Bob Knoop and his wife Joyce founded the Dearborn High School Adult Booster Club.  The club's first major project/present to DHS was a touchpad electronic timing system for the pool/swim team.  It was very unique for a high school to have such a sophisticated system in the 1970s.

In 1966 Jerry and Virginia purchased a family cottage/lake house on Wamplers Lake in the Irish Hills.  Jerry and Virginia were gracious hosts and have welcomed and entertained hundreds of people over the years.  First it was friends of the Balaka brothers (mostly Al and Bob), then the Ford international guests and finally friends of the Balaka granddaughters and their families.  If you took the time to talk to Virginia in her green leather Stickley style recliner at the lake, you would have been rewarded with the benefit of her years of accumulated knowledge, not to mention her pride in her granddaughters.

Due to COVID-19, the family has decided not to have a funeral ceremony at this time.  There may be a memorial lunch/dinner at a future date.

Virginia is survived by her sons Alan Balaka, Robert/(Wendy) Balaka, and Jerry Balaka.  Also her granddaughters Lindsay Balaka, Amanda Balaka, Jessie Balaka, and Abbi Balaka.  She was a great supporter of her sons and granddaughters.  All of the granddaughters were involved in the Dearborn High School Theater Program.  She never missed a student directed scene, play or musical that any of the granddaughters were involved in.  It is for that reason, the family is asking if you would like to send a memorial/tribute – Please make a donation to the Dearborn High School Theater Program in Virginia Balaka's name.

You can either use this link:  https://donate.dearbornschools.org/product/support-dearborn-high-theatre/  or send a check to:

Dearborn High School Theatre

19501 Outer Drive

Dearborn, MI  48124

Attn. Greg Viscomi

Note:  If you send a check, make sure to note the check is for the Dearborn High School Theatre Program