Mary D. Balch of Raeford has gone to be with her Lord on Wednesday, October 31, 2012 while at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center at the age of 70.
Mary Jo was born on January 1, 1942 in Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in Grafton County, New Hampshire, the daughter of Orville and Barbara (Chase) DeCoff. She attended schools in Pomfret and Woodstock, Vermont before marrying at a very tender age. She accompanied her husband George Balch around the world as an Army wife. Stationed at Fort Bragg for the bulk of their military career, Mary and George settled down in Raeford upon retirement. She was a member of the Sandy Grove United Methodist Church, DAV Auxiliary, and the V.F.W. Post 10 Auxiliary. She and George were known for being very early risers and always having the coffee ready at the family reunions.
Survivors are her husband, George E. Balch of Raeford; four daughters, June E. Bolieu and her husband Don of Salina, Kansas, Jane C. Colbert and her husband James of Watson, Oklahoma, Jacquline M. Drinkwater of Albany, Georgia, and Jennifer L. Hammock and her husband Paul of Salem, Alabama; her mother, Barbara Gilbert and her husband Earl of Leesburg, Florida; two brothers, Andrew DeCoff and his wife, Marie of Bennington, Vermont, Peter DeCoff and Lee of North Pomfret, Vermont; two sisters, Norma Peoples and her husband, David of Broadway, Virginia, and Sally Weglarz and her husband, Ronald of North Pomfret, Vermont; 17 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 7 until 9 p.m. on Monday, November 5, 2012 at Crumpler Funeral Home, 131 Harris Ave. Raeford, NC.
The funeral will be held at 10 a.m.Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at Sandy Grove United Methodist Church with the Rev. Judson Dunlap and the Rev. Richard Jackson officiating. Burial will be in the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery.
In lieu of fFlowers, memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311, the American Kidney Fund, 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, MD 20852, or a charity of your choice.
Online condolences may be made at www.crumplerfuneralhome.com